Officials of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have stolen some ₱15 billion. It was from the agency using different fraudulent schemes, a former official claimed Tuesday.
Current anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith of the state-run department, who had previously resigned due to “widespread corruption” within the office, alleged that “mafia leaders” were responsible for what he called “the year’s crime” because of anomalous transactions.
Keith then testifying before the Senate Committee on the Whole.
“I believe that the total amount of money spent and pocketed amounted to more or less ₱15 billion.”
I also believe that the reason why the culture of corruption continues to proliferate in PhilHealth is due to the delegation of mafia syndicates of additional members. In addition, it also belongs to top positions, which helps prolong illegal operations.
Keith accused Ricardo Morales, President, and CEO of PhilHealth, of also instructing him to meet with Greco Belgica, Commissioner for the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
It aimed to amend a pending case concerning the overpriced COVID-19 test kits of the department.
He asked me to negotiate on the case involving overpriced test kits.
The director of PhilHealth later attempted to dismiss Keith. The rejection went to a role he desired, the former official was “vengeful”.
$15 Billion Reflects the Illegal Release of Temporary Payment Systems
Morales cited alleged incidents of sexual assault against Keith. And also, his retirement from the police force as reasons not to hire him as his executive assistant.
Morales added that he was doubtful about Keith’s fraud allegations. It was because in over nine months Keith had been the anti-fraud legal officer. After that, he failed to submit any report on anomalies in the agency.
Keith suggested that the estimate of $15 billion reflects the illegal release of temporary payment systems or funds allocated to “fortuitous incidents”. For instance, the pandemic in hospitals that have not yet registered COVID-19.
The sum also included the suspected overpriced systems of information technology that the agency wanted to purchase, he added.
The senator alleged that these officials did not run out of “malevolent plots. It aims to enrich themselves with a deep-rooted crime syndicate” exploiting PhilHealth’s financial records. After that, following leadership changes.
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