Two House committees on Wednesday, September 2, cited a doctor in contempt for repeatedly calling Ang Magsasaka Representative Argel Cabatbat a liar after the lawmaker accused him of committing fraud.

An emotional Dr Mark Dennis Menguita was given a chance to respond to Cabatbat’s earlier allegations – that the neurologist had misdiagnosed his patients in Koronadal, South Cotabato, in order to get higher insurance claims from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“‘Yung House of Representatives po para sa akin ay bahay po ng katotohanan. Hindi po ito dapat ginagamit para sa pansariling kapakanan lamang (For me, the House of Representatives is the house of truth. It should not be used for personal interests only),” said Menguita, who joined the hearing via Zoom.

“Sa lahat po ng accusations sa akin ni Congressman Cabatbat, dine-deny ko po to lahat. Ako po ay inosente (I deny all of Congressman Cabatbat’s allegations. I am innocent),” he added.

Menguita claimed that Cabatbat and the lawmaker’s friend, who was not named, pursued cases against him out of “jealousy.” He said Cabatbat was allegedly of the belief that Menguita was having an affair with his friend’s wife. 

He claimed that Cabatbat’s friend started harassing him in 2014.

“Binantaan niya po ako na sisirain ang kanyang buhay – dahil lamang po sa selos. Napagkamalan po niya na ako raw po ay may relasyon sa asawa ng kanyang kaibigan. Kaya 2015 po, sunud-sunod po na kaso ang finile nila sa akin,” Menguita said. 

(He warned me that he would destroy my life – just because of jealousy. He suspected I was having an affair with his friend’s wife. That’s why in 2015, they filed a series of cases against me.)

During a House hearing on August 20, Cabatbat exposed Menguita’s alleged scam in Koronadal, where the neurologist would supposedly diagnose his patients as having severe illnesses even if they just experienced mild ailments so he could get higher claims from PhilHealth. 

Lawmaker details anatomy of a South Cotabato doctor’s PhilHealth modus

Menguita’s statement against Cabatbat did not sit well with the members of the House committees on public accounts, and good government and public accountability, which are jointly probing the PhilHealth corruption scandal.

House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr moved to cite Menguita in contempt for making allegations against Cabatbat.

Abanta asked whether resource persons are allowed to make accusations against lawmakers during a committee hearing.

House committee on public accounts chair Mike Defensor responded that in inquiries in aid of legislation, resource persons are not allowed to reply in that manner, as it was not only in contempt of the concerned lawmaker but the committee itself.

Under the rules of procedure governing inquiries in aid of legislation in the House of Representatives, one of the grounds for punishment for contempt is “acting in a disrespectful manner towards any member of the committee or any misbehavior in the presence of the committee.”

The joint panels unanimously accepted the motion.

Defensor then asked Cabatbat for his recommended punishment for Menguita. 

Cabatbat said he wanted to inhibit from the discussion. Still, he suggested letting Menguita off with a warning since it was the doctor’s birthday.

Defensor agreed, moving to give Menguita a “stern warning” instead.

In past cases, resource persons cited in contempt by lawmakers end up getting detained in the House. 

PhilHealth Internal Legal Department senior manager Rogelio Pocallan Jr was punished with a 4-day detention after he irked lawmakers who later cited him in contempt on August 27. 

The ‘modus’

Cabatbat was able to dig up information on Menguita’s alleged modus because the lawmaker, who is also a lawyer, had sought to revoke the doctor’s license around 4 years ago. 

Cabatbat used the bigamy case filed against Menguita by the late barista Dan Joseph Alas to seek the revocation of the neurologist’s license. 

In September 2016, the Professional Regulation Commission Board of Medicine revoked Menguita’s medical license for immoral and/or dishonorable conduct. But he was still able to practice after making an appeal.

On December 19, 2017, 3 hitmen shot dead Alas in a coffee shop. Roughly two months later, Cabatbat’s Montero was shot by the same assailants in Quezon City. 

The Ang Magsasaka congressman claimed Menguita hired the hitmen to go after him and Alas, out of revenge.

The doctor denied this on Wednesday. “Lahat po ng ibinintang sa akin ay pawang kasinungalingan (All accusations against me are nothing but lies),” said Menguita. 

PhilHealth has already filed 21 cases of fraud against Menguita in January 2019. His accreditation has also been revoked. – Rappler.com