SEN. FRANCIS "KIKO" PANGILINAN ON REPORTS THAT PHILHEALTH DOCUMENTS ARE BEING DESTROYED
Pangilinan to Cabinet members in PhilHealth: Ensure agency's documents are intact

"A MEMBER of the media has told us that PhilHealth documents are being destroyed in Regions 1, 3, 8, and 11.

Bukod sa gawain ito ng mga guilty, isa itong lantarang pambabastos sa resulta ng mga pagdinig ng Senado.

As among those who filed a Senate resolution asking for an investigation into the PhilHealth billion-peso scandal, we ask the authorities, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Audit, to help secure those documents now. Their destruction is equivalent to burying the body of the victim of their crime. Their destruction is another set of crimes.

The destruction of PhilHealth documents that most likely reveals who pocketed the people's money is obstruction of justice (Section 1b of Presidential Decree 1829); removal, concealment or destruction of documents (Article 226 of the Revised Penal Code; Art. 226 above was amended by Republic Act 10951, Section 44 with higher penalty); and a violation of the National Archives Law (RA 9470).

We call on Health Secretary Duque, who is chairman of the PhilHealth board, to show leadership now and order to secure the documents. We call as well on the other Cabinet secretaries on the PhilHealth board to act now and ensure that the documents are intact."