Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the Supreme Court has already settled the issue over the remittance of P60 billion in excess funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to the national treasury during Recto’s tenure as Department of Finance secretary.
In a statement on Thursday, Recto also said government financing for the state-run health insurer has been “restored and increased.”
Earlier in the day, a group of lawyers and health advocates filed criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against Recto, former Philhealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., and others.
Recto said the government respects the right of any individual or group to pursue legal action.
“The issue has already been addressed by the Supreme Court, and the government has fully complied with its ruling,” Recto said, citing that funding for PhilHealth has since been restored and augmented to improve benefits and services for Filipinos.
Recto also defended his actions as former Finance secretary, reiterating that no criminal liability may attach to him for ordering the remittance of PhilHealth’s unused funds, which he said was done in good faith and under a direct mandate from Congress.
He noted that Supreme Court justices had expressed the same view in their opinions.
The Executive Secretary said the Marcos Jr. administration remains confident that the facts and the law are clear and that any allegations will be assessed fairly and objectively by the appropriate institutions.
Framing the issue as a “distraction from governance,” Recto said he would remain focused on improving government performance and public service delivery.
“I will not get distracted by political noise,” he said. “The work of improving government performance and services is my priority.”
Recto said the government will continue to uphold the rule of law, respect due process and pursue policies aimed at improving the lives of Filipinos.
Last December, the Supreme Court ordered the return of P60 billion in unused PhilHealth funds, ruling that the realignment of PhilHealth’s unused funds was unconstitutional.
