The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has recommended the filing of charges against former Deparment of Health (DOH) Secretary and now Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin.
Committee chair Senator Richard Gordon, during a virtual briefing on Tuesday, August 25, said Garin was found to be involved in questionable PhilHealth fund disbursements.
Garin, who was then concurrent ex-officio PhilHealth Board chairman, could be held liable corrupt practices, technical malversation and entering, on behalf of the government, contracts disadvantageous to the government, according to the senator.
Based on the committee’s report, P10.6 billion was disbursed in December 2015 for the premium of senior citizen members of PhilHealth.
But the multi-billion peso fund was “diverted” to the supposed construction of Tamang Serbisyong Kalusugang Pampamilya (Tsekap) barangay health stations, rural health units, national government hospitals, and the purchase of mobile dental trucks.
Citing the Commission on Audit’s report, Gordon said only 426 of the planned 3,200 barangay health stations were built in Phase 1 of the Tsekap project. In Phase 2, only 12 of the planned 2,500 stations were completed.
Gordon believes that the amount was used in the May 2016 elections.
“Kumbinsido ako na ginamit sa eleksiyon, dahil nakita ’nyo, kinuha lang ’yung advanced na pera. Hindi naman ginalaw na, ngayon magbabalik pa sila,” he said.
The procurement of “Tsekap Kits” for the planned stations was overpriced, Gordon said. Each kit priced at P85,000 were actually only worth P25,000, based on the market value of its items. For example, a sphygmomanometer pegged at P2,500 could be bought from sellers in Bambang, Manila – a mecca for medical supplies – for only P600.
“The loss of P10.6 Billion that was spent on uncompleted projects for political campaign purposes stunted PhilHealth’s financial growth,” the report stated.
“By diverting the budget, then DOH Sec. Garin and company put in disrepute the integrity of the PhilHealth fund and derailed the march to efficient and reliable health insurance in this country,” it added.
Garin has not yet issued a statement on the Senate panel report.
Former budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, and former PhilHealth president and CEO Alexander Padilla are also accused of involvement in the anomalies in the state-run insurance firm.IMT (with reports from rappler.com and inquirer.net)
