Now resigned PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation) senior vice president Augustus De Villa said he quit because of delicadeza.
“Sa kadahilanan ng delicadeza po. Ako po ay isang taong marangal, may dignidad at integridad. Malinis po ang aking konsensiya at naniniwala ako na hindi ako nababagay na magsilbi pa sa isang ahensiya ng gobyerno na punong-puno ng alegasyon ng korapsyon, ng katiwalian,” De Villa said in a Senate hearing.
(Because of the delicadeza. I am a noble person with dignity and integrity. My conscience is clear, and I believe that I am not fit to serve another government agency full of allegations of corruption.)
“Ako po ay naniniwala na mayroon ngang katotohanan, sinadya man o hindi, at ito po ay base sa mga lumalabas na pagsusuri at lalong lalo na po noong Martes, noong unang hearing po,” he added.
(I believe that there is truth, whether intentional or not, and it is based on the tests that come out and especially on Tuesday, during the first hearing.)
In tears, De Villa said justice should be served for those who are responsible for the alleged corruption while the innocent ones should be allowed to continue their service.
De Villa, who earlier accused of ripping pages of alleged anomalous documents, resigned last Thursday.
Also read: Hospital in Davao City has highest COVID-19 claims – PhilHealth
Former PhilHealth SVP says he resigned out of delicadeza
“I hereby tender my irrevocable resignation, effective immediately… The Vice Chairman knows full well the reasons,” his resignation letter read.
“Be assured that I will make myself available for the ongoing investigations in aid of legislation in both Houses of the Congress of the Philippines,” it added.
At the resumption of the Senate’s probe, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica said corruption in PhilHealth is from “head to toe,” citing the state insurer’s president and CEO should be fired to fix the problem.
Belgica revealed Tuesday PhilHealth has been releasing billions of pesos in payouts every week that are “exposed to corruption” because its information technology (IT) system has no validation mechanism.
“Dalawa hanggang tatlong bilyong piso ang nilalabas ng PhilHealth linggu- linggo, na exposed sa corruption. Dahil rito, namimiligro tayong mawalan ng pondo.”
(PhilHealth spends two to three billion pesos every week that are exposed to corruption. As a result, we are at risk of losing funds.)