No basis for Red Cross to demand payment from PhilHealth — Barbers

There is no basis for the Philippine Red Cross to demand PhilHealth to pay its overdue balance for COVID-19 tests supposedly amounting to P1.1 billion, Surigao Del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers said Monday.

In an interview with reporters, Barbers, who serves as vice chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts, claimed that there is no contract between the PRC and PhilHealth on COVID-19 tests for overseas Filipino workers and the public in general.

"Kung sisingilin natin yung gobyerno doon sa sinasabing P1 billion na utang ng PhilHealth, wala namang kontrata na nagsasabi na ang PhilHealth ay babayaran yung test kits na ginamit ng Red Cross," he said.

"Definitely dahil wala siyang kontrata, wala siyang legal basis," he added.

Illegal?

Further, Barbers said the memorandum of agreement between PhilHealth and PRC is illegal as the state health insurer was not authorized to issue or release advanced payments.

He pointed out that the "illegal" contract that PhilHealth and PRC executed is for the "advanced payment" for COVID-19 tests amounting P100 million.

However, the memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said that all partnerships entered into with PRC are "subject to reimbursement" and not advanced payment, he added.

"Even assuming that the board ratified the so-called contract with PRC which says that it should provide test kits, still illegal pa rin yun because walang legal na basehan para i-authorize ang PhilHealth to release such funds, yung sinasabing P100 million na advanced funds," Barbers said.

For these reasons, Barbers believes that PhilHealth has no debt with PRC.

"Assuming na nagamit ang P100 million for payment for the test that was provided by Red Cross to Filipinos, tapos umabot ng P1 bilyon, yung excess wala namang authority yun, wala namang legal basis yun," he said.

"As it seems walang pagkakautang ang gobyerno sa Red Cross," he added.

The PRC recently halted conducting COVID-19 tests chargeable to PhilHealth after the latter failed to settle its outstanding balance amounting to nearly P1 billion.

The state health insurer then said it would settle its obligations to PRC on Monday.

But Senator Richard Gordon, chairperson of the PRC, said PhilHealth has yet to settle its debt despite its commitment to pay today. — RSJ, GMA News