NBI probes 20 hospitals for refusing patients

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating at least 20 hospitals for allegedly refusing patients who later died at the height of the enhanced community quarantine.

At least 20 hospitals and clinics are being asked by the NBI to give their response to allegations they refused to accommodate two women and two children, NBI-National Capital Region director Cesar Bacani said yesterday.

The probe includes the case of one-year-old boy Shaldrei, who was born with a congenital heart ailment and was refused by Ospital ng Tondo and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMC).

He died April 14. Shaldrei was tagged as a suspect coronavirus disease 2019 case after he exhibited difficulty in breathing.

The NBI investigation would also cover the death of a four-year-old toddler in Sta. Cruz, Manila who was also refused by JRRMC, Bacani said.

The kin of Caloocan residents Josefina Barros and Katherine Bulatao have also given their affidavits about how they were refused by different hospitals, the NBI prober said.

46 Manila execs investigated

Meanwhile, Mayor Isko Moreno said yesterday he has ordered at least 46 barangay officials to explain their side on allegations of irregularities in the distribution of relief goods from the city government.

“There were complaints of missing kilos of rice, missing cans of sardines, missing spaghetti sauce, even the spaghetti pasta ended up being mami,” he said in a Facebook Live video on Wednesday night.

Residents have also complained about receiving only P500 out of P1,000 allocated by the city government to each family.