THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will take part in the investigation into the "ghost claims" of WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center Corporation.

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said they might also investigate Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) personnel over possible connivance in funnelling funds from the agency to WellMed.

“Kung talagang paiimbestigahan sa atin ang PhilHealth, then why not? We have to coordinate with PhilHealth also kasi hindi naman tayo pwede basta-bastang pumasok sa kanilang agency nang basta-basta nang walang cooperation or collaboration with them,” he said.

In a press conference called by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on June 6, 2019, former WellMed employees Edwin Roberto and Liezel Santos revealed that the facility has been filing claims for dialysis treatments of patients who have been dead since 2016.

Roberto and Santos said the center’s accreditation was renewed last year despite a report about the ghost claims.

Albayalde said they might also investigate the Novaliches police station, which had merely logged the report of Roberto and Santos in its blotter.

“Kung sino ‘yung pulis na yun please give us the name dahil tayo merong utos dito na ang sabi nga natin ang pulis kung umaksyon ay mabilis dapat. There should be an immediate action after the blotter. Hindi yung iba-blotter lang tapos tapos na ang usapan,” he said.

“Now kung hindi po umaksyon po ‘yung pulis doon we will investigate that. Rest assured na kung ‘yung pulis na yun hindi umaksyon we will not hesitate to relieve even the chief of police or even kung sino ‘yung imbestigador doon including the chief of police for that matter and we will file administrative charges against them,” he added.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the National Bureau of investigation to arrest the owners of WellMed over the alleged ghost claims. (SunStar Philippines)