Duterte asks Philhealth execs to resign amid ghost dialysis scandal

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president Roy Ferrer and Philhealth's board members to submit their courtesy resignations amid allegations of ghost kidney treatments.

Senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go, Duterte's former top aide, so announced on Monday.

Go said he would ask the President to start a revamp of the Philhealth hierarchy.

"Command responsibility. Hinayaan nilang makalusot sa kanila since 2016. Hindi po katanggap-tanggap itong nangyaring ito," he said in a press conference.

"Meron silang bangayan diyan sa baba, may friction sila kaya ito pumutok. Buti na rin na lumabas ang ganitong pangyayari para hindi na po maulit."

Go added the President is looking for a "strict" manager who will handle PhilHealth funds with a retired lady military or police doctor as potential candidates. The former Cabinet official also recommended the suspension of the multi-billion peso Universal Health Care program until the issue of fraudulent claims is resolved.

He said he would also call for a legislative probe into the ghost dialysis mess should he become chairman of the Senate committee on health.

Duterte said he would meet Philhealth officials in Malacañang on Monday.

Duterte on Saturday bared plans to reorganize the agency but said he did not doubt about Ferrer's integrity and honesty.

He said the Philhealth president was among those who pushed for the prosecution of those involved in the misuse of state health insurance funds.

Duterte earlier ordered the filing criminal complaints against Philhealth executives and employees who allowed the misuse of funds.

He also directed the National Bureau of Investigation to arrest the owners of WellMed Dialysis & Laboratory Center Corp.  the healthcare provider involved in the alleged ghost dialysis scam. —NB, GMA  News