Blue Ribbon committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday said his committee will conduct an investigation into the alleged corruption at PhilHealth and PCSO next week.
He said they will also look into the allegations of conflict of interest against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and his brother lawyer Gonzalo Duque, the newly appointed Philippine Coconut Authority chairman, over the building lease agreement between a firm owned by the latter’s family and PhilHealth.
He said the health secretary, among others, will be summoned to appear in the hearings to explain the accusations being hurled against them.
“He can’t avoid facing the inquiry because it was him that Senator Lacson implicated. So he has to explain why he should not be accused by Lacson,” Gordon said.
He said the probe will investigate the alleged fake claims, overpayments and ghost patients that resulted to the depleted PhilHealth funds.
“By early next week probably. It depends on how quickly we can get the data so that we will know everything,” said Gordon.
Gordon added that the Blue Ribbon committee will also probe the alleged massive corruption at the PSCO that drove the President to stop its gaming operations.
Following Gordon’s lead, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said he is open to conduct a Senate investigation on the alleged anomalies in PhilHealth as well as PCSO.
Go said that those who committed corruption should be held accountable as the interest of the Filipino people should be put above everything else.
“Kung ano po ’yung interes ng tao, interes ng Pilipino, ’yun po ang mangunguna. Managot ang dapat managot,” said Go.
The neophyte senator also assured the public that he would set aside friendship in the conduct of investigation to ferret our the truth and bring corruptors to the bar of justice.
“Managot ang dapat managot kahit na magkasama tayo sa gobyerno at magkaibigan tayo. Kung ano lang po ang tama. ’Yan po ang pinagbibilin parati sa akin ni Pangulo noon. Do what is right.”
He said, however, that for now, he has no reasons to pre-judge Health Secretary Duque.
“As chairman of the Committee on Health, I’m willing to investigate if there’s truth to the allegatjons of conflict of interest,” he said.
Go said he still trusts Duque until it can be proven that there’s evidence in the allegations being imputed against him.
Last July 26, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the suspension of PCSO gaming operations due to “massive corruption,” even as Senator Panfilo Lacson has accused
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III of “conflict of interest” in some PhilHealth transactions.
Lacson also delivered a privilege speech on the matter in the Senate Monday afternoon.
Go, meanwhile, assured the public that operations and services offered by Malasakit Centers are not affected by the closure of PCSO gaming outlets.
The senator guaranteed that the closure of lotto, small-town lottery (STL), and other gaming outlets of PCSO will not affect the budget and services of Malasakit Centers, a one-stop shop established in 38 government hospitals all over the country where patients can seek financial assistance from various government agencies.
Go said enough funds have been allotted or released for the services offered by Malasakit Centers.
He added that other agencies are involved. He said many are helpng the Malasakit Center like PhilHealth, DOH and DSWD.
“At present, our operations have not yet been affected. Help to the Malasakit Centers all over the country is continuous.
He said the current collections of PCSO will be used next year.
While gaming outlets have been closed, he said the PCSO remains open for medical financial assistance.
Go also shared that President Rodrigo was prompted to order the suspension of gaming activities upon receiving reports of corruption from newly appointed PCSO General Manager Royina Garma.
The former presidential aide also added that he cannot say when the normal operations of PCSO will resume. He said the President wants the problem to be solved first.