STUNG by the allegation that he is the “godfather” in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) “mafia”, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday, August 27, 2020, welcomed the Senate investigation as a way of clearing his name.
He suggested to Congress that a fixed term president and CEO be returned “because reforms are long term”.
He also recommended that a study be conducted on limiting the inclusion of department secretaries to ex-officio positions even as he called for a more active participation of the secretaries who are members of the PhilHealth board of directors.
Duque, who sits as PhilHealth chairman, said in a statement that it pained him to be called the “godfather” of the alleged mafia in the state-owned corporation.
“It pains me to be called ‘godfather’ before the Senate by a very polluted source. It hurts my family to be dragged in all sorts of innuendoes just because I have been a former PhilHealth president, chairman, board member, and now again its chairman,” he said.
He said he has tried to reform the institution.
He said accountability and transparency have been his guidepost in public service.
“My public service record is an open book. If there is a single thread of conclusive evidence of my involvement on any and all issues, then let the axe fall,” he said.
Duque served as PhilHealth president from 2001 to 2005, chairman of the board from 2005 to 2009 and board member in 2016.
He has been serving as PhilHealth chairman again since 2017.
Whistleblower Thorrsson Keith called Duque the “godfather” during the Senate hearing into the alleged fraudulent transactions in PhilHealth on August 17.
Duque said PhilHealth is composed of decent and competent public servants.
“The rotten eggs are not the be all of the institution,” he said. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)