The Ombudsman dismisses the cases filed against Ralph Recto.
The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the graft, plunder, and malversation complaints against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Previously, graft, plunder, and malversation complaints were filed against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and former PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma before the Office of the Ombudsman. The complainants also filed an administrative complaint over the alleged grave misconduct of the P60 billion PhilHealth fund transfer to the national treasury during Recto’s tenure as finance secretary.
Based on a previous article, Recto insisted on his innocence in the multi-billion-peso fund transfer.
As of the latest, based on the resolution dated June 2, the Office of the Ombudsman junked the complaints, citing a lack of prima facie evidence to warrant the filing of charges. The Ombudsman said it found insufficient basis to establish with reasonable certainty that their actions constituted the criminal and administrative offenses that had been recommended.
“On the contrary, DOF Secretary Recto was commended…for his commitment to return the P60 billion to PhilHealth. Thus, the return of the P60 billion to PhilHealth militates against the allegation that respondents took advantage of their positions for ‘personal enrichment,'” the resolution read.
To recall, the issue began when Recto signed the
Department of Finance (DOF) Circular No. 003-2024, directing the transfer of P89.9 billion in PhilHealth excess funds to support unprogrammed projects under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
PhilHealth had already transferred PHP 60 billion in three batches before the Supreme Court stopped the move and later declared it invalid on December 3, 2025.
The Ombudsman, however, found no evidence that Recto acted in bad faith, with corrupt intent, or showed favoritism.
In his counter-affidavit, Recto said he was only carrying out his duty to implement the 2024 GAA, which was presumed constitutional at the time.
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