Palace to probe into Philhealth anomalies

Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 09:04 am

MANILA  – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered for an investigation on the alleged anomalies in the Philhealth regarding overpriced procurement of an information technology system.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement that three PhilHealth officials resigned from their respective posts because of corruption allegations within the government agency.

Roque confirmed that President Duterte has requested to probe alleged corruption concerning Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth). Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President will conduct the investigation.

Roque received a copy of letter by the agency’s anti-fraud legal officer, Thorrsson Montes Keith who cited the the “widespread corruption in Philhealth” as among his top reason for his resignation.

The questionable PhilHealth’s information technology (IT) related purchase worth over P2 billion prompted the President to investigate the matter and encouraged  Keith to assist with the investigation. PhilHealth’s P2-billion purchase of an IT system and the of P300 million reimbursements for COVID-19-related claims from hospitals in the Visayas were among the ireggularities the Palace wants to be investigated.