A GROUP of lawyers, doctors and health advocates filed a case before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday against Executive Secretary and former Finance secretary Ralph Recto, and Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., former president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), over the transfer of P60 billion to the national treasury. The complainants accused Recto and Ledesma of graft, alleging “immense injury” was caused to the Filipino people since the P60 billion “could have instead been used for the betterment of health services or increase the scope of the Program’s benefits and to decrease the amount of members’ contributions.” They also accused the respondents of technical malversation, and that they were “liable for grave misconduct.” The complainants accused them of plunder, alleging that PhilHealth lost over P50 million “representing the interest from income generating investment instruments.” The P50 million requirement under the law is “roughly around.083 percent [of P60 billion], which is way below the possible interest earned if the P60 billion was deposited in banks which gives at least 1 percent interest rate at the minimum,” the complaint read. Assuming that the P60 billion was deposited in banks at 1-percent interest rate, “PhilHealth and its contributing members have lost so much which has a direct impact on the latter’s benefits,” the complaint read. Commenting on the filing of the charges, Recto on Thursday maintained the government fully complied with a Supreme Court ruling to restore the PhilHealth funds. “We respect the right of any individual or group to seek legal remedies and to avail themselves of the processes provided under our laws,” Recto said in a statement. “The issue has already been addressed by the Supreme Court, and the government has fully complied with its ruling. Consistent with this, funding for PhilHealth has since been restored and even augmented in order to better serve our countrymen,” he said. Apart from restoring the state health insurer’s funds, it was “even augmented in order to better serve our countrymen,” Recto pointed out. “Let me also reiterate my innocence, as opined by Supreme Court Justices, that no criminal liability may attach to me, as former Secretary of Finance, for acting in good faith and in accordance with a direct mandate from Congress in ordering the remittance of PhilHealth’s unused funds,” he said. Recto vowed that he and Ledesma won’t let “political noise” distract them. “The work of improving government performance and services is my priority,” he said. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Thursday said the complaints filed against Recto and Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. are unlikely to prosper. Herbosa said Recto merely implemented the special provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA). “My personal opinion is that the case will probably not prosper because Recto only followed the special provisions of the General Appropriations Act of 2024. So I think that came out after the decision of the Supreme Court to return the P60 billion,” Herbosa said. “They are saying there was a violation, but the fact is that Recto and Ledesma only followed what was stated in the GAA — that all savings will be pooled and used for unprogrammed funds,” Herbosa said.