Zubiri uncovers more schemes in Philhealth. Inquirer Newsletter. August 10, 2020

No images? Click here   RECENT FIND Top and side views of the newly discovered cricket species Mnesibulus laguna. —ZOOTAXA     News ‘COVID-19 first, not death penalty’ A vice chair of the House justice committee has decided to swim against the tide of the majority by calling on his peers to focus on the coronavirus pandemic instead of reviving the death penalty. Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles on Sunday urged his colleagues to prioritize the fight against COVID-19. —STORY BY DJ Yap Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1319178/covid-19-first-not-death-penalty   Regions Western Visayas reverts to stricter lockdown as virus cases rise ILOILO CITY—Provinces and cities in Western Visayas reimposed stricter health measures, including longer curfews and selective lockdowns, amid a surge in cases of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Jaro Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo on Saturday also ordered the immediate suspension of public Masses. —WITH A REPORT FROM CARLA P. GOMEZ INQ Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1319140/western-visayas-reverts-to-stricter-lockdown-as-virus-cases-rise   Entertainment Ice comes clean about his battle with depression Former National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Ice Seguerra said he gave up his government post in 2018 because he was battling depression. “I knew that if I couldn’t give my 100 percent, then I didn’t deserve the job. That would also mean I would be cheating the young people I served,” Ice told Inquirer Entertainment. —STORY BY Marinel Cruz Read more: https://entertainment.inquirer.net/386705/ice-comes-clean-about-his-battle-with-depression   Newsletter / Join us Has this been forwarded by a friend? Subscribe now to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Newsletter and get your latest news and important updates on COVID-19 and the enhanced community quarantine. Subscribe       Banner story Zubiri uncovers more schemes in Philhealth By Marlon Ramos An 18-bed infirmary in the Davao region getting P10 million a year in benefit claims, and clinics sharing “rebates” with officials and unqualified personnel occupying key posts at the state-run health insurance corporation. These are among the “money-making schemes” in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) that the Senate would delve into at the resumption on Aug. 11 of its inquiry into the multibillion-peso corruption scandal rocking the health insurer, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Sunday said. “Anger is too weak a word to explain how I feel [about the alleged irregularities in PhilHealth],” Zubiri told the Inquirer in a Viber message. He said he was enraged by the way that money supposed to be used for COVID-19 treatments was instead stolen by the “mafia’’ inside PhilHealth. “The corruption, done by stealing money from programs and projects designed to help the poor and the sick, is unforgivable and is done by demons that should be severely punished,” said Zubiri, who disclosed the money-making schemes in Davao amid increasing calls for the suspension or dismissal of PhilHealth officials.  Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said PhilHealth officials involved in the corruption scandal should be suspended, so as not to compromise the integrity of the investigations. —WITH REPORTS FROM JHESSET O. ENANO AND TINA G. SANTOS INQ Read more: newsinfo.inquirer.net   Editorial Unprecedented slump For implementing the strictest lockdown in the region to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Philippines paid dearly in terms of economic losses. Gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of the value of local economic activities, shrank by 16.5 percent in the second quarter compared to a year ago. Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net   Inquirer Digital Store     Copyright © 2020 PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 2353, Makati Central Post Office, 1263 Makati City, Philippines.   Share    Tweet    Share    Forward  Preferences  |  Unsubscribe