(NI NOEL ABUEL)

TINIYAK ni Senador Panfilo Lacson na sa pagbubukas ng 18th Congress ay pangungunahan nito ang pag-ungkat sa anomalya sa Philhealth.

Ayon kay Lacson, sisimulan nito ang pag-ungkat sa naturang ahensya sa pamamagitan ng privilege speech sa plenaryo.

“When the 18th Congress opens most likely I will. Actually I was planning to deliver a privilege speech rito but information keeps coming in and I was just challenged by the statement of Sec. Duque na bakit ko pa inungkat ang 2004 at unblemished ang record niya as a public servant for so many years. And then I found out paano maging unblemished sarili mong building paupa mo sa PhilHealth na ikaw chairman of the board,” sabi nito.

Tugon na rin aniya nito sa hamon ni Sec. Duque na patunayan ang akusasyon nito.

“He challenged me to do something so I did something. And I found out that the Regional Office 1 of PhilHealth is housed in a building, I have here a copy of the contract of lease, owned by Sec Duque. It is located in (Tapuac) district in Dagupan City. This is just the start of some extensive research or investigation I am conducting because not only against Sec. Duque. Ang nakakainis sa isang opisyal ng gobyerno, alam mong may mali ka na nag-iipokrito ka pa because he is projecting may unblemished record for 35 years,” paliwanag pa ni Lacson.

Uungkatin din umano nito ang pagkakasangkot ng iba pang indibiduwal sa naturang anomalya.

“We’re scratching the surface. It is our obligation as public officials, as elected senators, to get to the bottom of any corrupt act. And this involves P254 billion. On top of the P257 billion that is required to implement the Universal Health Care that will be implemented this year,” paliwanag pa ni Lacson.

Bibigyan din umano nito ng kopya ng hawak nitong dokumento ang Department of Justice (DOJ) upang makapagsagawa rin ito ng sariling pagsisiyasat at pagsasampa ng kasong kriminal laban sa mga isinasangkot at may kinalaman sa Philhealth organic personnel.

“Based on information coming in, hindi matatapos itong fraud or controversy sa PhilHealth because it has been ingrained in their system. For the longest time they have been squandering PhilHealth funds. Importante pag-usapan din natin because ang Universal Health Care will be implemented this year,” sabi pa ni Lacson.