A video circulating on Facebook (FB) and YouTube revived a false claim that Sen. Risa Hontiveros took funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). Hontiveros was not involved in the 2014 PhilHealth bonus controversy.
The 19-minute video posted on Feb. 27, bore the headline:
“RISA IBALIK DAPAT PERA NG PHILHEALTH BAGO NIYA ISULONG NA IBALIK ANG PEOPLE POWER, RISA NAPAHIYA (RISA SHOULD RETURN PHILHEALTH’S MONEY BEFORE SHE PROPOSES TO BRING BACK PEOPLE POWER, RISA EMBARRASSED)!”
The voice-over commentary scored Hontiveros’ Feb. 26 FB post commemorating the 37th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. It then featured screenshots of netizens’ opinions and played clips of a vlogger’s reaction to Hontiveros’ FB update.
Hontiveros was not involved in the release of P83 million worth of educational assistance and birthday gift benefits to PhilHealth officials and employees in 2014.
VERA Files Fact Check previously debunked this claim that started circulating in 2018. (Read Online posts claiming Hontiveros involved in PhilHealth bonuses mess FALSE)
The September 2022 Supreme Court decision, which affirmed a Commission on Audit ruling that the bonuses were “unauthorized” and “should be disallowed,” did not mention Hontiveros either.
PhilHealth corporate communications manager Rey Baleña told VERA Files Fact Check in 2018 that Hontiveros was “not included in the subject Notice of Disallowance.” (Read Hontiveros NOT involved in 2014 PhilHealth bonus mess)
The senator’s camp likewise debunked the claim in a 2018 email saying the “bonuses were approved before Sen. Hontiveros’ term as member of PhilHealth’s board.”
The wrong posts came out a day after Hontiveros posted an FB update remembering the People Power Revolution that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Hontiveros also recently welcomed PhilHealth’s plans to increase its dialysis coverage from 90 to 156 sessions. PhilHealth targets to issue the new policy before August this year.
Eight FB pages including Bongbong Marcos Info News (created on Oct. 8, 2021), GMA News TH (July 3, 2020) and Rodante Marcoleta. (Oct. 10, 2020) uploaded the false video collectively garnering 2,292 views, 146 reactions, 53 comments and 26 shares. YouTube channel IDØL CÀLØY (Feb. 23, 2019) uploaded a slightly longer version that garnered 5,618 views.
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