9 PhilHealth employees under probe over fraudulent claims

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – At least nine employees of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) here are under investigation over alleged fraudulent claims that reached millions of pesos, an official said yesterday.

 Leo Douglas Cardona Jr., PhilHealth regional vice president in Region 1, told The STAR that representatives from  the central office and other government agencies are conducting the probe.

Cardona said he was tasked to facilitate the investigation and to ensure the filing of charges if necessary.

He said “a large sum of money” was involved in the fraudulent claims, which was discovered through an internal audit.

“Our office wants the truth to come out and those liable must he held accountable,” Cardona said.

He said nobody has been suspended yet, but PhilHealth president Alex Padilla issued a directive for the transfer of concerned employees to protect the evidence and prevent undue influence over the investigation. 

Cardona assured the public that the investigation is not affecting their work, adding that most PhilHealth employees in Region 1 are “honest and dedicated.”