MANILA, Philippines – Nilinaw ng apat na Supreme Court (SC) justices na walang kriminal na pananagutan para kay dating Finance Secretary at ngayon ay Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, sa pag-uutos na ilipat ang P60 bilyong pondo ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation patungo sa National Treasury.
Ito ay kasunod ng ruling ng SC na pumapabor sa pagbabalik ng P60 bilyong excess funds sa PhilHealth.
Sa kalatas ng SC, nagpasa ng kani-kanilang opinyon ang apat na Justice at sinabing si Recto ay “acted in good faith in implementing Special Provision 1(d).”
Pinapayagan sa Special Provision 1(d) ang pagbabalik ng fund balances o sobrang reserve funds mula sa government-owned o -controlled corporations patungo sa National Treasury para pondohan ang unprogrammed appropriations sa ilalim ng 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Ayon kay Associate Justice Raul Villanueva, para panagutin ang dating kalihim ng Department of Finance (DOF) “is like punishing him for simply doing his job.”
“If he did not comply with the valid dictates of Special Provision 1(d), then he may possibly become culpable of violating the law, which would have made his situation even worse,” sinabi ni Villanueva.
Ganito rin ang sinabi ni Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario kung saan walang pagkukulang sa technical malversation na maaaring iugnay kay Recto, at sinabing ito ay “carried out the statutory commands in good faith, pursuant to a law then presumed valid, and without any intention to divert funds contrary to legislative will.”
“The constitutional infirmity of Special Provision No. 1(d) renders the provision void—but it does not render criminal those who were duty-bound to follow it,” sinabi ni Rosario.
Para kay Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda, ang mga aksyon ni Recto ay “strictly ministerial” at isinagawa nang naaayon sa explicit at mandatory terms ng 2024 GAA.
“As discussed above, they were characterized by institutional good faith and due diligence, as they relied on formal clearances from agencies like the OGCC (Office of the Government Corporate Counsel), the COA (Commission on Audit), and the GCG (Governance Commission for Government-Owned or-Controlled Corporations),” ayon kay Zalameda.
Samantala, sinabi ni Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan na ang desisyon ng korte “does not negate Secretary Recto’s good faith, nor does it automatically create a basis for his liability.”
“A public officer shall not be civilly liable for acts done in the performance of his or her official duties, unless there is a clear showing of bad faith, malice or gross negligence,” ani Gaerlan.
Nitong Biyenes, sinabi ni SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting na idineklara ng SC na void ang Special Provision 1(d), Chapter XLIII ng 2024 GAA, at DOF Circular 003-2024, na nag-aatas na ibalik ang P60 bilyon sa pondo ng PhilHealth.
Ang P60 bilyon ay bahagi ng P89.9 bilyong unused funds ng PhilHealth. RNT/JGC
