R100-M BAYAD NG PHILHEALTH SA PRC, ILLEGAL

Iligal umano ang pagbabayad ng Phillippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) ng P100 milyon sa Philippine Red Cross (PRC) kaugnay ng pagsasagawa ng coronavrus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing sa mga dumarating na migrant workers.

Ito ang nakasaad sa joint committee report na inaprubahan ng

Committee on Public Accounts at ng Committee on Good Government, nitong Martes, (Oktubre 27).

Ang nasabing bayad ay bahagi ng halos P1 bilyong utang ng PhilHealth sa PRC dahil sa pagsasagawa nito ng COVID-19 test.

“The disbursement of the said amount on May 5, 2020 before the May 14 , 2020 ratification of the PCEO’s authority by the board is illegal, to say the least,” ayon sa report.

Nitong nakaraang Martes din binayaran ng PhilHealth ng P500 milyon ang PRC na pinamumunuan ni Senator Richard Gordon.

Binanggit din ng dalawang komite na lugi o walang mapapakinabangan ang pamahalaan sa pinasok na memorandum of agreement (MOA) sa pagitan ng PhilHealth at PRC.

“We hope that with the report, changes can be made in the MOA to ensure accountability,” ayon naman kay Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor, chairman ng House Committee on Public Accounts.

Pinangunahan ni Defensor ang joint panel investigation kaugnay ng multi-billion peso fund irregularities sa PhilHealth.

Inimbestigahan din ng mga ito ang MOA sa pagitan ng PhilHealth at PRC kaugnay ng isinasagawang COVID-19 test ng huli.

“MOA is disadvantageous to the government for the following reasons: Philhealth cannot hold the PRC for any damage or liability that may arise from the services provided by PRC; there is no specific provision for monitoring the utilization, liquidation and reportorial requirements in regard to the fund advanced and any balance int he advance payment made to PrC shall no longer be returned to the Philhealth but shall stay with PRC as stranded cost,” bahagi ng report ng dalawang komite.

“Philhealth’s MOA with PRC also violated existing policies and standard operating procedures in that Philhealth’s Legal Sector, through the Internal Legal Department, neither conducted any review any contract review, nor issued the required “contract certification” prior to the execution of the said MOA,” sabi pa sa report.

Nauna nang nagbabala si PhilHealth Legal counsel Alfredo Pineda na “walang legal basis” ang nasabing MOA.

Napansin din aniya nito ang pagbibigay ng “preferential treatment” sa PRC kaugnay ng kasunduan.

Natuklasan din sa imbestigasyon ng komite na sa ilalim ng MOA, walang pananagutan sa PhilHealth ang PRC sa mangyayaring anumang danyos at sa sinumang sumailalim sa COVID 19 treatment ng PRC.

“The eventual ratification or confirmation of the MOA

through the issuance of Philhealth Board Resolution 2521 after the release of millions of fund was highly irregular, if not ultra vires. Such post recognition by the Philhealth board is a tacit admission that it lack the authority for the P100 million cash advanced to PRC by Philhealth,” ayon pa sa mga mambabatas.