Recto case complainant: Junked rap 'sad day for accountability'

MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer representing the doctors and lawyers who filed complaints against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Wednesday described as “a sad day for accountability” the Office of the Ombudsman’s dismissal of plunder, graft, and malversation complaints against him and former PhilHealth Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ledesma.

Lawyer Rodel Taton made the statement after a consolidated resolution dismissed two separate complaint-affidavits questioning Recto’s order, issued when he was finance secretary, to return PhilHealth’s unused funds amounting to P60 billion to the National Treasury in line with a special provision of the 2024 national budget.

READ: Plunder raps filed vs Recto over diverted state funds

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In a June 2 resolution made public on Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the criminal and administrative complaints against the respondents “for lack of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction and insufficiency of evidence.”

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“We still firmly believe there was evident bad faith in facilitating the transfer of P60 billion in PhilHealth reserve funds to the National Treasury, ultimately undermining the trust of the Filipino people,” Taton said.

“The number of people from the public and private sectors coming forward to seek accountability from Recto and Ledesma through duly constituted authorities should be considered, as this indicates that we have seen, and do know, that something is wrong. That is why we are taking the initiative to ask our institutions to look further into these issues,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tony Leachon, whose plunder and graft complaint against Recto before the Ombudsman on the same grounds remains pending, said: “the fight lives on.”

“That case remains alive,” Leachon said of his complaint in a statement. “And with it, the hope that the Ombudsman will hear it with wisdom, integrity, and fidelity to the people’s right to healthcare.” /mcm

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