Gov’t peace panel head named to PhilHealth

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed chief government negotiator Alex Padilla as member of the board of directors of the state-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

At the same time, the President “approved the nomination” of Padilla – a current undersecretary of the Department of Health – as PhilHealth president and chief executive officer. The board members will formally elect him to the post.

Padilla is expected to replace president and CEO Eduardo Banzon who resigned last January.

Padilla, a 56-year-old veteran human rights lawyer, had served as health undersecretary during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and his appointment was carried over when Aquino assumed office in June 2010.

He was appointed by Aquino to be chief government negotiator tasked to handle the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its political arm the National Democratic Front (NDF), and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA).

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte clarified Padilla’s designation is “nothing new,” since he has handled several tasks simultaneously in the past without any conflict of interest.

Padilla’s appointment was stalled, according to Valte, due to the appointments ban before the May 13 senatorial elections, when Health Secretary Enrique Ona was designated officer-in-charge of PhilHealth while they were looking for Banzon’s replacement.

Padilla has apparently given up his role as chief peace negotiator with the CPP-NPA-NDF, saying the negotiations are going nowhere due to the “impossible conditions” imposed by the communist rebels before talks would continue.

Padilla had lamented the NDF virtually locked down the peace talks by demanding that the government abolish its peace and development programs, including the conditional cash transfer, PAMANA and the military’s Oplan Bayanihan.

Malacañang said it would resume peace talks with the communist rebels only if they abandon their violent ways.

On Monday, NPA rebels snatched five soldiers on a humanitarian mission at Paquibato district in Davao City.

The kidnapped Army troopers were identified as Cpl. Emmanuel Quezon, Privates First Class Ronald Gura, Bernie Padilla, Donato Estandia and Pvt. Marteniano Pasiagas Jr.

The soldiers, belonging to the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion of the 10th Infantry Division, were in civilian attire helping out in a feeding mission of a non-government organization when the rebels snatched them at gunpoint.

Officials said the rebels passed themselves off as government troops trying to direct traffic along the roads leading to Sitio Lubas in Barangay Paquibato.

Other troopers led by a certain Lt. Canitan were able to escape. Canitan said he earlier sensed they were being surrounded by the rebels before leaping from his motorcycle to a ravine to escape.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala pointed out the soldiers were unarmed and on a humanitarian mission.

“That’s a normal activity being done by this terrorist movement,” Zagala said.

“Clearly these actions do not contribute to the peace and development in the area that we want to achieve,” he added.  – With Edith Regalado, Alexis Romero