PANDEMIC OF CORRUPTION

In our lifetime, think about it, a “big C” had been hounding us, and it is not cancer — it certainly is not the novel coronavirus.

“Perpetual corruption” is what PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica called it, but he was referring to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) controversy in particular.

This is not the first time PhilHealth had figured in a corruption scandal.

Just a year ago, Harry Roque, then a “former” presidential spokesman, in an 18 August 2019 report that came out in this newspaper, “reiterated his call made a year ago for the abolition of the PhilHealth, citing the massive amount of corruption wafting through the agency.”

Why?

At that time, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, led by Sen. Richard Gordon, had “conducted an inquiry on the fake medical claims and corruption scandal that has again hit the agency.”

Notice the word “again,” which means before that issue, the country’s health insurer PhilHealth had already been investigated for another anomaly.

“During the hearing, former PhilHealth acting president Roy Ferrer revealed the existence of an alleged “mafia,” pointing his

finger at

“The former fraud officer said the “mafia” or syndicate is still alive and kicking like a ringworm or deadly coronavirus inside PhilHealth.

seven PhilHealth regional officials, five of whom were also present at the Senate.”

Now, in the midst of a pandemic, PhilHealth has struck again. Struck out, if reports are to be proven true.

Such is its thick-faced persistence that it pushed the agency’s own Anti-Fraud Officer to quit.

“Crime of the year,” the 5 August 2020 headline read.

The resigned official, Atty. Thorrsson Montes Keith, claimed that state insurer president and CEO Gen. Ricardo Morales had directed him “to remedy” the issue of overpriced coronavirus (COVID-19) test kits with the Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).”

Test kits have been declared as one of the primary defenses we have against the spread of COVID-19, the virus that is wreaking havoc on the economy and our lives for half a year now.

Overpricing such materials contribute to shackling the Philippines even more in a time warp of suffering — one that not only hurts the nation’s finances but eventually the gut of every Filipino.

COVID-19 testing packages priced at P8,150 are a far cry from what the Senate Committee of the Whole, in its hearing on the government’s overall response to the pandemic, identified as the acceptable market rate of

P4,000 pesos — “the same amount the Philippine Red Cross charges for its COVID-19 tests.”

Overpricing is a classic “style bulok” (rotten) method for corrupt government officials.

And in PhilHealth, many have already said, the big C is rampant.

Keith said he can “no longer stomach” the alleged “widespread corruption” in the agency “which came to light after a shouting match among PhilHealth board members during a virtual meeting last 23 July.”

The former fraud officer said the “mafia” or syndicate is still alive and kicking like a ringworm

(or deadly coronavirus) inside PhilHealth.

He alleges that billions of pesos are systematically stolen from the Filipino people who contribute for their own protection.

Overpriced, too, was the information technology equipment that the PhilHealth chief defended as necessary to — get this — stave corruption in the agency.

In this case, P15 billion had been lost due to the alleged irregularities in the agency.

If Palace spokesman Harry Roque is right and the corruption in PhilHealth is indeed “incurable,” calling for its abolition, where does that leave us

now?

“This is not the first time PhilHealth had figured in a corruption scandal.