By MARIO B. CASAYURAN***
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has tightened its watch on several regional offices of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) after receiving reports of plans to destroy documentary evidence of wrongdoings in the agency, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go bared Saturday.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that the NBI updated him Friday that it is already monitoring PhilHealth regional offices in order to secure all documents and possible evidence that may be useful to the ongoing probe on the “systemic and systematic corruption” within the agency.
“The NBI said that they will also conduct an inventory of all cases being handled by PhilHealth regional legal offices in order to secure documents including affidavits and hospital records. They will also secure possible witnesses,” Go said.
He said he discussed the matter with Director Eric Distor, NBI officer-in-charge.
Go urged authorities to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to remove or destroy PhilHealth public records especially those related to cases being investigated.
“Kaya nga ilang beses ko nang sinabi — pilayan, putulan ng daliri upang hindi na makagalaw. Gamitin dapat ng task force ang ngipin nito para matigil ang kalokohan na nangyayari sa PhilHealth,” Go said.
“Yung mga magtatangkang magtago ng ebidensya, dapat talaga maparusahan upang hindi na makapagtago ang mga nagtatago, at hindi na makagalaw ang mga magnanakaw. Dapat lumabas ang katotohanan at mapanagot ang dapat managot,” he added.
Distor disclosed that an order had been issued directing the deployment of agents to the various PhilHealth offices.
“Nabalitaan namin sa Pangasinan sa Region 1 nasira daw ‘yung mga dokumento dahil sa ulan. I’m urging the NBI task force to investigate kung mayroon bang kalokohan dito,” said Go.
“Kung totoong umulan, okay lang po pero kung sinadyang sirain ‘yung mga dokumento ay ibang usapan na po ‘yan, dapat silang managot. Dapat malaman kung dulot lang ba talaga ito ng malakas na ulan, may kapabayaan bang naganap, o sadyang hinayaang masira ang mga dokumento,’’ he said.
“Tinatawagan ko ang pansin ng pamunuan ng PhilHealth. Ang laki-laki ng pondo ninyo, tapos hindi niyo mapagawa ang bubong ng isang opisina ninyo! Gamitin niyo po sana ng tama ang pondo ninyo para sa pagpapaayos ng inyong mga opisina at ng inyong serbisyo sa tao,” he added.
