Dr. Brian Sy, the owner of WellMed Dalysis and Laboratory Center in Novaliches, Quezon City which was accused of filing “ghost” dialysis treatment claims with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday afternoon.
NBI information chief Nicanor Suarez said that the NBI Anti-Graft Division placed Sy under arrest after heeding its summons and appearing at its offices.
“The arrest was made based on the complaint filed by Philhealth and the whistleblowers,” said Suarez, referring to former WellMed employees Edwin Roberto and Liezel Santos who both claimed that their former employer had been filing false claims for bogus dialysis sessions using the names of dead patients.
The information chief said that NBI-AGD is preparing the documentation to present Sy before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest the same day for estafa through falsification of public documents.
Meanwhile, the NBI has started investigating the bogus dialysis treatment claims.
Representatives of WellMed Dialysis yesterday appeared at the NBI-AGD to shed light over accusations hurled against them by its former employees.
“May subpoena that was issued earlier to come to NBI,” said Rowell Ilagan, legal counsel of WellMed. “We’re willing to cooperate in the investigation,” Ilagan assured.
Ilagan added that WellMed is also participating in an ongoing investigation that Philhealth is conducting.
The two whistleblowers also appeared at the NBI to give their statements.
They said they processed the claims upon the instructions of Sy. “May proof rin po kami. Hindi po kami lumapit sa PhilHealth kung wala po kaming documentation,” said Roberto who recalled that they first filed the complaint before PhilHealth after resigning from WellMed.
Santos added that Sy ordered them to forge the signatures of dead patients. “Pinapakopya niya yun sa mga chart ng mga pasyente yung pirma tapos gagayahin namin. Papraktisin namin sa scratch,” she claimed.
They said that they don’t get any share from the claims which go directly to WellMed. “Lahat po ng tseke ay payable sa WellMed,” said Roberto.
Ilagan refuted their claims, saying they resigned after they were caught by WellMed engaged in anomalies. (Jeffrey Damicog)
