Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and CEO chief Ricardo Morales and 13 others signed a waiver allowing the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to look into their bank accounts.
Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor on Monday announced the recent development as he leads the inquiry of the House Committee on Public Accounts and of Good Government and Public Accountability on the alleged anomalies in PhilHealth.
Defensor said Morales was one of the 14 PhilHealth officials who signed the bank secrecy waiver:
- EVP COO Arnel De Jesus
- SVP Dennis Mas
- SVP Atty. Rodolfo Del Rosario Jr.
- SVP Jovita Argona
- Acting SVP Nerissa Santiago
- SVP Renato Limsiaco Jr.
- SVP Israel Francis Pargas, MD
- VP Oscar Abadu
- Corporate Sec. Atty. Jonathan Mangaoang
- VP Shirley Domingo, MD
- Area VP Walter Bacareza
- Area VP Francisco Soria, MD
- Senior Manager Bernadette Lico
Also read: PhilHealth chief Morales takes medical leave amid corruption probe
Morales, 13 other PhilHealth execs sign bank secrecy waivers
“Ito yung mga kasamahan natin sa PhilHealth who have signed a waiver patungkol sa Bank Secrecy Law. Binibigyan nila ng karapatan kung sino man ang mag-iimbestiga na tignan ang kanilang mga bank accounts,” Defensor said.
(These are our colleagues at PhilHealth who have signed a waiver regarding the Bank Secrecy Law. They give the right to anyone who investigates to check their bank accounts.)
The lawmaker also presented Morales’ apology letter for leaving the previous hearing, citing he struggled to move after undergoing chemotherapy last August 7.
“Nagkaroon ng chemotherapy si Gen. Morales noong August 7 at sa kadahilanang yun, batay sa kanyang sulat nahirapan siya kahit na umupo at hindi niya masundan ang pag-uusapan at nahilo si General Morales during the hearing,” Defensor said.
(Gen. Morales had chemotherapy on August 7, and for that reason, based on his letter, he had difficulty even sitting. He could not follow the conversation, and General Morales felt dizzy during the hearing.)
“We thank you for joining us today and for joining us the last time, and we are praying for you. We hope that through this hearing and the hearings in the Senate, the investigation of the DOJ, makamtan natin ang mga reporma at pagbabago na gusto natin sa lahat,” he said.