13 PhilHealth execs suspended for 6 months

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the six-month suspension of 13 officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), amid the ongoing investigation on the alleged massive corruption in the state-run insurer.

Among those ordered suspended were four ranking executives of the government agency: Dennis Mas, senior vice president for management services; Israel Pargas, SVP for health finance policy; Rodolfo del Rosario Jr., SVP for legal; and Shirley Domingo, VP for corporate affairs.

Also ordered suspended were former PhilHealth acting president and chief executive officer Roy Ferrer and his predecessor Celestina Ma. Jude dela Serna.

Ferrer was appointed by President Duterte as Department of Health assistant secretary just last February.

The other PhilHealth officials ordered suspended for six months without pay were Ruben John Basa, Raul Dominic Badilla, Angelito Grande, Lawrence Mijares and Leila Tuazon.

The suspension order was dated Aug. 18 and was signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on the same day.

Meanwhile, in another order, Martires directed the six-month suspension of Ferrer, Basa, Grande, Clemente Bautista and Eugenio Donatos II for a separate administrative case of grave misconduct, oppression and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

“The evidence on record shows that the guilt of the respondents is strong and the charges against them involve grave misconduct, oppression and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, which may warrant removal from the service; and considering that their continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against them, respondents... are hereby placed under preventive suspension,” the order read.

It was not clarified in the orders, however, whether Ferrer, Basa and Grande would have to serve their two six-month suspensions simultaneously or separately.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is the ex-officio chairman of the PhilHealth board of directors, were directed to implement both suspension orders.

Martires’ office has yet to release to the media the copy of the two suspension orders, but a highly placed source at the ombudsman said the orders were served at the PhilHealth office yesterday.

It remains unclear whether the ombudsman’s investigation was prompted by the recent corruption allegations in PhilHealth uncovered during Congress investigations or from complaints filed at the ombudsman in previous years.

The STAR and reporters from other media outfits have been asking Martires whether his office is conducting an independent investigation on the alleged P15 billion worth of anomalous transactions and fraudulent claims in PhilHealth supposedly involving ranking officials, but he has not been responding to queries.

Malacañang earlier directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to create a multi-agency task force that would conduct investigation, do lifestyle checks and file criminal and administrative charges against PhilHealth officials involved in fraudulent claims and transactions.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Duterte wants the task force to be composed of investigators from the ombudsman, Commission on Audit (COA), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Office of the Executive Secretary and the Presidential Management Staff.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra had told reporters that “it was agreed that any action by the agencies regarding PhilHealth will be coordinated through the Task Force, and any action towards the prosecution of PhilHealth officers and employees and their cohorts will be made through the Task Force and with the endorsement of the Secretary of Justice.”

It remains unclear whether Martires secured the endorsement of Guevarra before issuing the suspension orders.