MANILA.- An anti-fraud legal officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) tenders his resignation and cites the alleged massive corruption happening inside the agency.

As this developed, PhilHealth on Friday, July 24, 2020, said that it has yet to “officially” receive the resignation of the anti-fraud lawyer, but assures the public that any accusations of widespread corruption inside the agency will be taken seriously.

In a letter addressed to PhilHealth president and chief executive officer (CEO) Ricardo Morales, lawyer Thoreason Montes Keith said he is leaving the agency due to the alleged unfair job promotion process, a report by the ABS-CBN News says.

In the same letter, Keith bares the delayed release of salaries and hazard pay as the reason for his resignation, which he alleged started when he started to probe some officials of the state-run health insurance provider.

The lawyer also mentioned in the letter that he strongly opposes the mandatory payment of PhilHealth premiums by overseas Filipino workers (OFW) as he claims such move is “unconsititional”.

“It is against my personal values to let the OFWs pay for the spillages of PhilHealth,” he said.

In the same letter, Keith said, “I think it is better for me to resign and let the course of things go its way.”

In May 2020, President Duterte ordered PhilHealth to make premium payments for OFWs voluntary after thousands signed an online petition protesting the agency’s rate hike.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Morales allegedly failed to curb corruption in PhilHealth due to crooks lurking in the agency.

For his part, Morales denies corruption accusations happening in the state-run health insurance provider.

PHILHEALTH STATEMENT

in a statement, PhilHealth, as of posting time, said that it has yet to officially receive Keith’s resignation.

The agency in the same statement confirmed, however, the resignation of one of its executives, Head Executive Assistant Etrobel Laborte who tendered his resignation in mid-July “to go back to taking his Ph.D.”

“PhilHealth assures the public that it takes seriously any issue on corruption, and asks Atty. Keith to substantiate his accusations so proper procedures can be initiated,” the statement said.

Corporate Legal Counsel Roberto Labe Jr., also “vehemently denied” reports that he is resigning, PhilHealth added.