Metro Manila, Philippines – Executive Secretary Ralph Recto vowed cooperation after a coalition filed complaints of technical malversion, plunder, and grave misconduct against him and PhilHealth chief Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. for the controversial ₱60-billion fund transfer from the state insurer to the national treasury.
“I respect every citizen’s right to seek redress before the courts and will fully cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman during the conduct of preliminary investigation,” the secretary said in a statement on Monday, Dec. 22.
“I welcome the opportunity to clarify the issues raised by the Save the Philippines Coalition, with representation by the Office of the Solicitor General,” he added.
Recto gave the go signal for the fund transfer as then finance secretary in 2024.
In early December, the Supreme Court decided that the ₱60-billion in idle funds should be returned to the state insurer, ruling that there was grave abuse of discretion in allowing the remittance.
In the decision, the high court unanimously asked for the return of the funds and permanently stopped the transfer of the remaining ₱29.9 billion balance.
In response, Recto insisted that the transfer was a “common-sense approach to optimize government coffers without resorting to additional borrowing or new taxes.”
While the probe pushes through, Recto assured the public that this would not interfere with his responsibilities as now executive secretary.
“I will not get distracted by political noise,” he said. “The work of improving government performance and services is my priority. I will let my lawyers address those issues.”
Malacañang has earlier said it respects and will heed the Supreme Court’s decision.
