THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday announced the creation of a task force to investigate the anomalies of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth).

NBI Officer-in-Charge Eric Distor said he issued a memorandum order to create “Task Force Philhealth” to audit the health insurer’s finances as well as conduct lifestyle checks on its officials and employees.

This was in line with the directive of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

“Considering that the NBI is still conducting investigation on alleged Philhealth anomalies, the creation of a task force on this matter will certainly help intensify and hasten the investigation,” Distor said in a statement.

Task force Philhealth will consist of agents and investigators from the NBI’s Anti-Graft Division, Anti-Fraud Division, Special Action Unit, Computer Crimes Division, Special Operations Group, and Digital Forensic Laboratory.

Philhealth is currently mired in controversy after its former anti-fraud legal officer Thorrson Montes Keith bared that a “syndicate” in the state-insurer has “stolen” P15 billion.