00:00As the investigation continues, the spotlight is on the complex legal proceedings surrounding the transfer of PhilHealth funds, with various parties involved in the case.
00:10With accusations swirling, both government officials and complainants are preparing to present their sides, while the ombudsman moves forward with the investigation to determine accountability.
00:22Rod Lagusa tells us more.
00:23Executive Secretary Ralph Recto is open to the preliminary investigation that will be conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman.
00:32This follows the complaints filed against him by the group Save the Philippines Coalition, which includes plunder, tactical malversation, graft and grave misconduct.
00:41According to the group, these are connected to the transfer of 60 billion pesos in PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury.
00:47According to Recto, he respects the right of every citizen to secretly before the courts, and he said he will cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman.
00:55Recto said he is ready for the opportunity to clarify the issues, prove that he is innocent, and disturb the allegations against him with the help of the Office of the Solicitor General, which will represent him.
01:05Recto added that he will not be affected by the issues, saying that his priority is to improve the services provided by the government.
01:11Aside from Recto, also named as a respondent in the complaint filed by the group is former PhilHealth President and CEO Emanuel Ledesma, who has not yet issued a response regarding the complaints.
01:20The reason na silang dalawa is it's because si Executive Secretary Recto, siya ang nag-issue ng memorandum circular to have it really the reserve fund, which was supposed to be in the nature of a trust fund, for the purposes of answering the PhilHealth claims.
01:43In an earlier ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered the return of the PhilHealth funds.
01:48Based on this ruling, the Supreme Court refused to determine Recto's liability for technical malversation or plunder, saying that the issue should not be resolved in this case.
01:57This is because the specific issue that needed to be resolved was the transfer of funds.
02:01Meanwhile, some Supreme Court justices issued separate opinions stating that the Recto has no criminal liability, saying that he acted in good faith in implementing the special provision of the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
02:13According to the Save the Philippines Coalition, the SE decision focused only on the constitutionality of the transfer of PhilHealth funds and did not involve any criminal case.
02:22It became the premise of our case, para ma-determine ng ombudsman ang criminal liability ng dalawang and administrative liability.
02:33They insisted that based on the PhilHealth Charter, the reserve fund is intended for the expansion of benefits for PhilHealth members or for the reduction of their contributions, Rod Lagused from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
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