Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President Ricardo Morales denied allegations that the  P154 billion funds was missing, and that a  supposed large-scale syndicate was  defrauding the state health insurance firm.

The Commission on Audit (COA)  could not substantiate claims of P154 billion in missing PhilHealth funds, Morales said, contrary to the claims of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.

“Hindi totoong may nawawalang P154 billion (It’s not true that there’s P154 billion missing),” Morales said in a virtual press briefing.

Roque, among the principal authors of the Universal Health Care Law during his time as a sectoral lawmaker, had said Morales “failed” to clean up corruption in PhilHealth.

Roque alleged that there are still crooks within the state health insurance firm.

Morales, however, denied any large-scale effort to defraud PhilHealth but admitted “inefficiencies” in the processing of claims within the state health insurance firm.

“Walang syndicate or group people colluding to defraud the corporation at that scale,” Morales said.

Roque last week said he would seek a meeting with President Duterte and Morales over alleged corruption in PhilHealth.

But the PhilHealth chief on Monday said he found it “premature” to involve the President in the issue.

“I think it’s premature to go to the President without a solution,” Morales said.

Asked to comment on Morales’ statements, Roque said he would leave the matter to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Hayaan na po natin ang taumbayan humusga at bayaan na po natin si Presidente sa isyung iyan (Let the public and the President decide on that issue),” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

Morales assured the public that PhilHealth is prepared for a third-party audit.

“I can assure you that there is no group of people colluding with each other to defraud PhilHealth in this scale reported,” Morales said.

“We are ready to answer all allegations,” he added./Stacy Ang