5 face raps for illegal sale of dangerous drug

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said yesterday it filed criminal charges against three Mercury Drug officials, two doctors and an American man for the unauthorized sale of a highly addictive painkiller to the public.

PDEA accused Mercury Drug’s Puregold-Quezon City branch manager Herminia Sadia-Estrada and head branch pharmacist Ma. Lina Estrella Reyes-Sucaldito, as well as Mercury Drug Corp. president and general manager Vivian Que-Azcona; and doctors Raymund Albert Mencias and Berlin Yu Fernando of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law (Republic Act 9165) by allegedly conspiring to sell 1,725 Oxycontin tablets to clients, including 900 tablets to American James Michael Mattero.

Oxycontin’s active ingredient, oxycodone, is sold in five-milligram preparations, but Oxycontin has between 10 and 160 milligrams of oxycodone in a timed-release tablet meant for cancer and chronic pain patients.

In the United States, many youths have become addicted to this painkiller, which they crush in order to snort or dilute in water to inject and experience a quick, powerful high similar to that of heroin.

PDEA said Oxycontin is an opium derivative listed as a Schedule 1 dangerous drug by the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the 1972 Protocol.

PDEA alleged that it discovered the supposed conspiracy on May 21 when representatives of the Mercury Drug branch submitted their documentary requirements for the renewal of their S3/P1 license, which allows the branch to sell dangerous drugs.

Dangerous drug regulation officers allegedly noticed several irregularities in the sales record for Oxy­contin 80-mg tablets. Compliance investigators then reported finding several anomalous transactions involving dangerous drugs.

PDEA said it then initiated a probe and found Mencias and Fernando reportedly conspired to issue unnecessary prescriptions of Oxycontin using Department of Health prescription forms for dangerous drugs, better known as “yellow prescription” forms.

PDEA presented as proof records showing 900 Oxycontin tablets were dispensed to Mattero.

PDEA recommended the cancellation of the Mercury Drug branch’s and the doctors’ dangerous drugs licenses and sent copies of the charges to the Professional Regulation Commission, the Philippine Medical Association, and Pharmaceutical Association of the Philippines for their reference and appropriate action.