DAVAO CITY (June 11) – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday arrested businessman Bryan Sy, owner of Wellmed Dialysis and Laboratory Center Corp. which was tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte over the alleged multi- million fraudulent claims from Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for dead patients.
The NBI arrested Sy after the Philhealth and the whistleblowers filed a complaint against its operation.
Sy is now under the custody of NBI and will be presented for inquest Tuesday morning.
Last Friday, June 7, Duterte in a television program “Give Us this Day” revealed the government s losing billion due to fictitious Philhealth claims and dialysis clinics are collecting from government even for dead patients.
During the program Duterte revealed, “Now, I do not have the slightest doubt about the integrity and honesty of Roy Ferrer, the acting operations officer of PhilHealth. And I [know?] nothing that they are part of it. Actually, they are the also ones of those urging or batting for the prosecution of itong sa PhilHealth privileges that were abused tremendously. As of last count, it was about 154 something, if I’m not mistaken, billion.”
Duterte added “So wala akong ano sa kanila kasi ‘yung mga — karaming mga hospital. I don’t know if doctors are involved. They are charging, overcharging or charging for nothing para ring ghost deliveries ‘yung… Treating patients — they are fictitious already because they are dead but they are on the list getting the dialysis. Totoo talaga ‘yan. Marami talaga ang — I don’t know but marami talagang may sakit na nakikinabang sa PhilHealth. But the sheer amount na 100 something billion is totally, totally unacceptable to me.”
Sy will he charged of estafa through falsification of documents and violation of the Philhealth law.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra claimed the NBI found sufficient evidence to effect the arrest.
In Department Order No. 287 dated June 7, Guevarra said the NBI has been granted authority to conduct an investigation and case build up on the alleged irregular or fraudulent claims for payment of dialysis and other medical treatment of Philhealth members and beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, Wellmed lawyer Rowell Ilagan assured cooperation, saying they “will submit more detailed pieces of evidence to support our claims.”- ezc with report from PNA PNA
