Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) — Former and current officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation are facing a complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly ignoring an illegal scheme involving its employees.
Named as respondents in the complaint are Philhealth Senior Vice President Dennis Mas, Vice President for Member Management Group Narisa Sugay, Vice President for National Capital Region Gilda Salvacion Diaz, and former COO Ruben John Basa.
They are accused of graft, dereliction of duty, grave misconduct, and gross neglect of duty.
Former Philhealth official Ken Sarmiento and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque filed the complaint.
“From the foregoing, it is clear that the respondents acted with gross inexcusable negligence when they failed to act and respond to the anomalous transactions presented by Respondent Sarmiento,” the complaint reads.
Sarmiento was head of Philhealth’s office at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Operations Office.
He was tasked to administer the National Health Insurance Program for OFWs and their dependents.
Sarmiento claims he discovered hundreds of questionable receipts worth about P16 million issued by hiring agencies in cahoots with Philhealth officers.
They supposedly pocketed the payments and issued fake receipts. The OFWs would later find out they have no benefits.
Sarmiento said he flagged the modus but his supervisors ignored and demoted him until he was forced to resign in 2018.
“Hindi naman kaya ng konsensya ko na parang walang nangyayari,” Sarmiento told reporters after the filing of the complaint.
Roque says the Ombudsman should preventively suspend those allegedly involved while the investigation is on-going.
“Whether or not we have evidence for conspiracy, pwede pa rin silang managot for both anti-graft and dereliction of duty,” Roque said.
Roque previously filed a complaint aganst the same Philhealth officials over the Wellmed scam.
This involves a dialysis center that was able to charge Philhealth for claims of patients who are already dead.
