Duterte asks PhilHealth officials to quit over ”ghost dialysis” claims: Bong Go

June 10, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte Monday night has asked members of the board of Philippine Health Insurance Corp ( PhilHealth), led by acting president Roy Ferrer, to hand in their courtesy resignations following a report the state agency paid billions of pesos in “ghost dialysis” claims.

'' President Duterte is saddened and dismayed over the reported anomalies at PhilHealth. In his meeting with PhilHealth officials, he asked them to submit their courtesy resignations,'' said Senator-elect Christopher ''Bong'' Go in a message to Palace reporters.

''The President wants a clean slate in the leadership of PhilHealth. There is a need to find out why these fraudulent claims took place for a long time under the present officials. The President ordered the NBI to investigate this as soon as possible,'' added Go.

Go said plantilla officials will run PhilHealth and they will be assigned under the Office of the President.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte is eyeing a possible reshuffle or reorganization of the agency and it will be up to him whether he will remove some officials.

Panelo said Duterte called for the meeting but no officials from WellMed Dialysis Center, who allegedly made fraudulent claims, were invited.

Duterte on Sunday ordered the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to investigate and arrest officials of WellMed Dialysis Center.

Duterte expressed alarm over the billions of pesos claimed by the company and also ordered investigation against PhilHealth officials for conspiracy.

"And to those hospital officials, you might want to just surrender… The Filipino people is demanding for truth. I'm very much interested to find out what happened to the money," he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS