Latest news with #MamamayangLiberal
GMA Network
10-07-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
De Lima seeks probe into PhilHealth's unpaid hospital claims
A congressional investigation into the unpaid Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) claims in several private hospitals has been proposed in the House of Representatives. Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima made the call under her House Resolution 46 amid the decision of some private hospitals to refuse honoring guarantee letters funded under the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) earlier reported that 43 hospitals in Batangas have been awaiting payment for claims amounting to over P530 million, including one with receivables as high as P94 million. 'This has been a perennial issue that should urgently be addressed once and for all. It burdens patients and their families with additional fear if they could get assistance from the government in medical expenses,' de Lima said. 'Nangangamba na sila sa sakit, nangangamba pa sila sa mataas na gastusin sa ospital. Filipinos' right to access urgent medical care should not be denied just because they cannot afford to pay hospital bills, or because of the lack of trust of private hospitals that the government will pay them,' she added. (The patients and their families are already fearing the high cost of medical bills.) De Lima then urged the government to provide and implement clear mechanisms, including speedy and inexpensive remedies, to promptly settle unpaid claims in hospitals that affect their ability to render quality and efficient healthcare services to prevent closures and instances of hospitals stopping to accept guarantee letters from indigent patients. The inquiry, de Lima said, will cover the existing government policies regarding payment of unsettled hospital bills and identify any gaps that cause delay in payment to expeditiously address them. 'These unpaid debts affect hospitals' financial stability and operating expenses, including salaries for healthcare professionals and staff. Nakakabahala ito dahil apektado nito ang kanilang operasyon at serbisyo. Paano natin matutupad ang layunin ng Universal Health Care Law kung paulit-ulit na lang ang ganitong problema?' De Lima said. (This situation is already alarming because how can we implement the Universal HealthCare law if this problem is yet to be addressed.) 'We need to get to the bottom of this to protect the rights of patients and their families, and ensure that the government fulfill its duty to pay its obligation to hospitals and clinics over unsettled bills,' she added. The 2025 P6.352 trillion national budget allocated zero allocation for government subsidy for PhilHealth due to the state-run insurance's inability to use its huge amounts of existing budget. MAIFIP, on the other hand, is a program under the Department of Health (DOH) which provides financial assistance to indigent Filipinos on healthcare expenses. The 2025 national budget earmarked P41.15 billion has been allocated for the program. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
27-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Judge affirms De Lima acquittal in drug case
A Muntinlupa City court on Friday stood by its decision to acquit Mamamayang Liberal Representative-elect Leila de Lima and her former driver Ronnie Dayan of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading charges. The RTC's action came after the Court of Appeals Eighth Division in April voided the May 12, 2023 decision of the RTC and remanded the case for failure "to discuss the specific proven facts as well as the laws upon which [the judge's] pronouncement of acquittal was based." In response to the appellate court's order, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara insisted that the recantation of former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos' testimony was ''sufficient basis for the RTC to uphold the constitutionally guaranteed presumption of innocence.'' Ragos had claimed that he and aide Jovencio Ablen Jr. delivered P5 million in proceeds from the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison to De Lima's house in Parañaque City in 2012. In May 2022, Ragos retracted his testimony against De Lima. ''To reiterate and emphasize, the testimony of witness Ragos is necessary to sustain any possible conviction. Without his testimony, the crucial link to establish conspiracy is shrouded with reasonable doubt,'' the revised decision stated. ''Thus, the undersigned presiding judge submits that the original decision already clearly and distinctly stated the facts and law upon which it was based.'' De Lima spent nearly seven years in detention before she was released on bail in November 2023. The last of her three drug-related cases was dismissed in June 2024. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
19-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
VP Sara wants ‘bloodbath?' De Lima, Diokno say impeachment a civilized process
Both have accepted the invitation to be members of the House prosecution panel in the trial of the Vice President before senators, sitting as an impeachment court. Leila De Lima and Chel Diokno, representatives-elect of the Mamamayang Liberal and Akbayan party-lists, on Monday called the impeachment trial a civilized and sacred process. They made their comments after Vice President Sara Duterte on saturday said, "I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath.' Both have accepted the invitation to be members of the House prosecution panel in the trial of the Vice President before senators, sitting as an impeachment court. "Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling 'yun dahil ang impeachment trial ay isang civilized legal process at ang mangyayari doon ay malalaman ng buong bansa ang katotohanan," Diokno told reporters on the sidelines of the Comelec's proclamation of the 2025 partylist race winners. (I don't know where it's coming from because the impeachment trial is a civilized legal process. Because of it, the country will know the truth.) He said that Akbayan partylist, which got the most numbers of votes in the partylist race, was supporting the impeachment of Duterte to 'know the truth, exact accountability, and pursue justice for the country.' In a separate interview, De Lima said Duterte was trying to 'court sympathy' as the start of the impeachment trial drew near. 'Siguro ganon ang ginagawa ni VP Sara para lalo siyang, alam mo na, she's trying to court sympathy dahil mapalapit na nga yung impeachment trial,' De Lima, the first nominee of Mamamayang Liberal, said after the proclamation ceremony. (Perhaps, VP Sara is doing that because she's trying to court sympathy because the impeachment trial is drawin near.) 'Hindi po ganon ang impeachment proceedings. Sagrado po ang constitutional process of impeachment na dapat wala itong puwang para sa kagluhan, para sa chaos, para sa drama or para sa theatrics,' she added. (The impeachment proceedings isn't a bloodbath. The constitutional process of impeachment is sacred and it should have no space for chaos, drama, or theatrics.) De Lima said that the rule of law should be followed in the impeachment process. The House of Representatives has impeached the Vice President on February 5, accusing her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption and other high crimes based on the following seven Articles of Impeachment: alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez; alleged malversation of P612.5 Million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents; alleged bribery and corruption in the DepEd during Duterte's tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda; alleged unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in the Vice President's Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth where her wealth increased by four times from 2007 from 2017; alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City; alleged destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder efforts, which include: boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself "designated survivor," leading rallies calling for Marcos' resignation, obstructing congressional investigations by ordering subordinates not to comply with subpoenas, threatening bodily harm against the First Couple and Romualdez, among others; the totality of the Vice President's conduct as the second highest official of the land. Both representatives-elect refuted the Vice President's claim that they were both 'anti-Duterte since birth,' adding that they raised concerns based on issues, not personalities. Asked if she though the House prosecution panel had enough evidence to win the trial, De Lima said, 'We are confident.' 'Hindi sana ako um-oo, hindi sana ako pumayag na maging part of the prosecution panel kung ang sa tingin ko ay hindi malakas ang kaso,' the former Justice secretary and now congresswoman-elect said. (I would not have said yes to becoming a part of the prosecution panel if I didn't think the case was strong.) De Lima said there's strong pieces of evidence from the hearings in the House of Representatives that could be used in the impeachment trial. 'Winner-take-all' Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, one of the prosecutors in the impeachment trial, said the process didn't have to be a bloodbath. 'Maganda sigurong sabihin natin na 'winner takes it all' ang impeachment trial na ito. Hindi kailangan maging bloodbath. Gusto natin malinaw lang ang pagkakatatag ng ebidensya ng prosecution at ng defense teams,' Defensor, who won his reelection bid in the 2025 polls, said. (It would be better to say it will be a winner-takes-all scenario. We don't need a bloodbath. What we need is a clear presentation of evidence from both the prosecution and defense teams.) 'Gusto ko makita na handa si Vice President para sakaling ma-acquit siya… madaling tanggapin ng taumbayan, madaling tanggapin ng 215 members of Congress who signed the impeachment complaint. At sana, 'wag pakialaman ng ating Korte Suprema ang impeachment. This is a purely political process,' he added. (I want to see the Vice President well prepared so that in the event that she is acquitted, the public and the lawmakers who signed on her impeachment complaint will be able to accept it. And I hope that the Supreme Court will not stand in the way of the impeachment because this is a purely political process.) –NB, GMA Integrated News
The Star
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
De Lima, Diokno to join House team prosecuting VP Sara Duterte
MANILA: They have yet to take their oath as party-list representatives, but prominent roles already await lawyers and human rights activists Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno in the incoming Congress. In separate statements released on Wednesday (May 14), De Lima and Diokno, who are the first nominees of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) and Akbayan, respectively, confirmed that they will be joining the House of Representatives' 11-man prosecution team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Two vacancies are anticipated in the prosecution panel when the 20th Congress opens in July. Two of the prosecutors, Loreto Acharon and Raul Angelo Bongalon, have lost their election bids as representatives in General Santos City and Albay, respectively. 'The speaker has invited me to serve on the prosecution panel for the upcoming impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. I have accepted,' said De Lima in a statement. 'My decision comes from a place of duty and principle. I have always stood for truth, accountability, and the rule of law — across different administrations, regardless of political affiliation. That commitment remains unchanged,' she added. She stressed that her participation is 'not about personalities or partisan politics.' De Lima was a staunch critic of the war on drugs under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President's father. Earning his ire, she was jailed for six years on drug trafficking charges that were eventually dismissed after government witnesses retracted their testimonies. 'It is about honoring the public trust and the responsibilities that come with it. My participation is one part of the broader agenda for justice and reform—an agenda I intend to pursue fully as I take my place in the House of Representatives,' De Lima said. Akbayan, which topped Monday's midterm polls for party list groups, announced Diokno's participation as one of the prosecutors. 'As the principal endorser of the first impeachment complaint and after thorough party deliberations, we extend our full support to this historic process of accountability,' Akbayan said in a statement. 'Incoming Akbayan Representative Atty. Chel Diokno will join the House prosecution panel,' it said. This is not the first time that Diokno has served as a prosecutor in an impeachment court. In 2001, he was a private prosecutor at the Senate trial of then-President Joseph Estrada. The first impeachment complaint against the Vice President, filed on Dec. 2 by various civil society and advocacy groups as well as the families of those killed in Duterte's so-called war on drugs, was endorsed by Akbayan party list Rep. Percival Cendana. It cited five grounds for impeachment, including culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. It also included 24 articles or specific charges, including Duterte's alleged abandonment of her duty when she left for Germany at the height of Super Typhoon Carina, as well as her continuing silence in the face of Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea. ML party-list members were among the 16 signatories in the initial complaint, with De Lima designated as the group's spokesperson. The House adopted a fourth complaint to impeach Duterte on Feb 5 this year, transmitting it to the Senate for trial after being signed by 215 House members. In a statement on Wednesday, Speaker Martin Romualdez, who won a fresh mandate as a Leyte representative, welcomed the inclusion of De Lima and Diokno in the House prosecution panel, citing their 'unquestioned legal expertise and deep commitment to justice.' 'Former Senator De Lima and Atty. Diokno are two of the most respected legal minds in the country. Their potential inclusion in the prosecution panel would add credibility, balance, and depth to this constitutionally mandated process,' Romualdez said. 'They are not just veteran lawyers—they are public servants with a lifelong record of upholding the rule of law and protecting democratic institutions. Their involvement would be a valuable contribution to ensuring that the proceedings are fair, principled, and rooted in the public interest,' he added. Romualdez said the impeachment trial should rise above politics and personalities and be undertaken with 'utmost seriousness and responsibility.' 'This is not about targeting individuals. This is about fulfilling our constitutional duty with integrity. The House is committed to presenting a case based solely on facts, evidence, and the rule of law,' he said. 'The Senate, as the impeachment court, deserves to hear a case presented with competence and credibility. The participation of figures like De Lima and Diokno will help ensure that,' he added. He reiterated that the aim was to preserve democratic institutions and uphold the Constitution 'without fear or favor, and with the full trust of the Filipino people.' Based on the timetable proposed by Senate President Francis Escudero in February, the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte will be presented to the plenary when the session opens on June 2, and her trial will begin on July 30. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
