MANILA - Fired PhilHealth interim OIC Celestina Dela Serna will remain in the agency’s board, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Roque, however, did not give a reason why Dela Serna was still allowed to stay on at PhilHealth.

President Rodrigo Duterte fired Dela Serna following reports of alleged anomalies in PhilHealth, including Dela Serna’s supposedly excessive expenses on trips and hotel accommodations.

Duterte has since tapped Dr. Roy Ferrer as acting president and chief executive officer of PhilHealth.

The Commission on Audit earlier questioned Dela Serna’s P627,000 travel expenses to and from Tagbilaran and Manila. This included plane fares, terminal fees, and hotel and lodging accommodations.

Dela Serna has denied spending too much on her trips and hotel accommodations.

“It’s my travel from here going to Bohol where I am from, and from Bohol to here to start working again. Of course, since I don’t live here, I stay at the hotel,” Dela Serna told reporters Tuesday.

“These are all reimbursements. So my claim, I spent money, I asked for reimbursements. If i get reimbursed, good. If not, then what can I do?”

Duterte has been criticized for firing several government officials but not following through with cases. In some instances, some fired officials managed to get another government post, such as Pompee La Viña, who was sacked as Social Security System commissioner but was later appointed as tourism undersecretary.