PHILHEALTH checks probe lawyer: New committee members are "biased"

CEBU, Philippines - The appointment of four new members of the special administrative investigation committee (SAIC) will bring partiality in the investigation against Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) credit officer Maria Lourdes Archua in the City Hall.

That is according to lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu, counsel for Archua.

Earlier, Mayor Michael Rama appointed Cebu City Human Resource Development Office head Mary Ann Suson, Assistant City Administrator Dominic Diño, mayor’s consultant Eugene Elizalde, and CCMC head nurse Lerma Soledad to the committee.

Archua earlier filed an injunction case against City officials to stop them from investigating her.

Archua earlier said she can’t get an objective investigation from the new committee members because the original members, who came from the City Legal Office, will act as prosecutor and judge.

Archua filed a petition before the Regional Trial Court against Rama and the committee members and sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop the respondents from conducting an administrative hearing.

Judge Gabriel Ingles said the appointment of Diño could create partiality in the due process since he used to be a member of the SAIC who investigated the missing Philippine Insurance (Philhealth) checks.

Judge added the appointment of members of SAIC is not a matter of simply changing the position of Diño and transferring him to another office.

Dalawampu said the reappointment of Diño could create bias against Archua.

Meanwhile, Dalawampu said Myrna Go is no longer a head nurse in the CCMC but an assistant chief in the administration office.             She said the new head nurse of CCMC is Soledad, a member of SAIC, used to be the supervision of Go.

Dalawampu said they are not delaying the case but seeking justice and respect for constitutional rights.

The court ruled in favor of Archua but Ingles clarified that the matter should be investigated since it involves public money.

The original committee was composed of City Hall lawyers Carlo Vincent Gimena, Ferdinand Cañete, Poblete, Lecel Llamedo and Diño. –  (FREEMAN)