President to act on PhilHealth based on task force report

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte will take further action on Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) officials based on the findings of the task force he created to look into alleged irregularities at the agency.

His spokesman, Harry L. Roque, said on Wednesday that while the President “respects” the decision of the Senate, he will wait for the recommendation of the inter-agency team led by the Department of Justice.

“Pero pagdating po doon sa pananagutan ng mga indibidwal diyan sa PhilHealth, eh inaantay pa po ni Presidente iyong resulta ng imbestigasyon ng task force na binuo niya (But when it comes to the liability of the individuals in PhilHealth, the President is waiting for the results of the investigation by the task force he formed),” Mr. Roque said in an interview over government station PTV.

Mr. Roque said the formal investigation of the task force is scheduled to end on September 14, and the report could possibly be submitted “within the month.”

Justice Undersecretary Mark L. Perete told reporters via Viber that they conducted a hearing on Tuesday where two PhilHealth board members and one from the legal department testified.

Another hearing is expected within the week, he said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas