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PhilHealth officials to sue whistleblower for libel for alleging they pocketed P15 billion

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Several Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) officials will file libel charges and other cases against the agency&#x27;s former anti-fraud officer, who alleged that the state-run insurance firm&#x27;s leaders pocketed P15 billion in public funds.Resigned anti-fraud officer Thorrson Keith, who was testifying under oath in a Senate hearing, said all members of PhilHealth&#x27;s executive committee were members of an internal &quot;mafia&quot; that stole billions from the insurance firm&#x27;s coffers.&quot;The whole execomm will file charges against him sa libel,&quot; said Rodolfo Del Rosario Jr., PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Legal Sector.&quot;Kahit hindi magdecide ang corporation to file charges against him... ang members ng exec comm, on our personal capacity, will file cases or charges or complaints against him,&quot; he said in a virtual briefing.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/04/20/some-philhealth-execs-allegedly-pocketed-p15b-former-anti-fraud-official">Some PhilHealth execs allegedly pocketed P15B: former anti-fraud official</a></li></ul>Keith and PhilHealth board member Alejandro Cabading earlier asked the Senate for legislative immunity so that the information they divulge during congressional investigations cannot be used against them in court.But Del Rosario said that Keith would not escape charges even if the Senate decides to grant him immunity.&quot;Hindi niya puwede i-invoke yung legislative immunity niya dahil actually, he went around media stating those lies, those fabrications,&quot; PhilHealth&#x27;s top lawyer said.PhilHealth is also studying other charges that can be filed against Keith, the agency&#x27;s president Ricardo Morales said.&quot;Meron kasi siyang pinirmahan dito na confidentiality clause and he revealed inside information so we will see what we can do about that,&quot; Morales said.Keith has been in hiding since last week, saying he has been receiving threats after he flagged the massive corruption in the state-run insurance firm in his resignation letter.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/20/philhealth-officer-resigns-due-to-widespread-corruption-in-agency">PhilHealth officer resigns due to &#x27;widespread corruption&#x27; in agency</a></li></ul>Sen. Panfilo Lacson earlier said that the Senate is willing to provide security detail for the PhilHealth whistleblowers should they request for it.Aside from Keith, Morales&#x27; former head executive assistance Etrobal Laborte was also reportedly being harassed, Lacson said.Laborte - who provided documents that showed an alleged plan to procure &quot;grossly overpriced&quot; equipment for PhilHealth - backed out from testifying in the Senate minutes before the August 4 hearing began perhaps because he was being threatened, the senator said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/05/20/under-threat-lacson-says-philhealth-chiefs-ex-aide-backed-out-from-testifying-in-senate-probe">&#x27;Under threat&#x27;: Lacson says PhilHealth chief&#x27;s ex-aide &#x27;backed out&#x27; from testifying in Senate probe</a></li></ul>

Several Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) officials will file libel charges and other cases against the agency's former anti-fraud officer, who alleged that the state-run insurance firm's leaders pocketed P15 billion in public funds.

Several Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) officials will file libel charges and other cases against the agency's former anti-fraud officer, who alleged that the state-run insurance firm's leaders pocketed P15 billion in public funds.

PhilHealth officials to sue whistleblower for libel for alleging they pocketed P15 billion

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PhilHealth officials to sue whistleblower for libel for alleging they pocketed P15 billion

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 06, 2020 09:19 PM PHT

|

Updated August 10, 2020 05:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Philippine Health Insurance Corp

PhilHealth

Ricardo Morales

Thorrson Keith

corruption

health

insurance

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