PhilHealth exec’s exit to help in ongoing probe: Guevarra

FILE: Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday (Sept. 5, 2019). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said the decision of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) senior vice president Rodolfo Del Rosario Jr. to resign is a welcome development for the task force currently investigating anomalies in the state health insurance firm.

“If true, (his resignation) would probably make the investigation being conducted by task force PhilHealth a little easier,” Guevarra told reporters when sought for comment on del Rosario’s exit.

Guevarra, who was personally tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct an investigation into allegations of fraud in the state firm, also clarified that the Task Force PhilHealth’s scope of authority does not include recommending specific replacements for resigned or dismissed officials.

“Instead, the task force has recommended to the President that the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG), which is under the Office of the President, be directed to study the possible reorganization of PhilHealth and the creation of an interim management committee,” Guevarra also said.

Earlier this week, Guevarra said the task force recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte to place the state insurer under an interim management committee and said the GCG has the statutory mandate to institute organizational changes in GOCCs.

“The details, such as who will comprise such interim management committee, their terms of reference, etc. will be determined by the GCG itself,” Guevarra said.

During the televised briefing with Duterte aired on Tuesday, Guevarra, who heads the Task Force PhilHealth, said part of the problem was the lack of a centralized IT (information technology) system to keep track of its accounts and transactions.

He added that they are seeking the completion of all pending investigations into lapses within the PhilHealth even before Duterte ordered the creation of the Task Force PhilHealth.