MANILA, Philippines — Three Chinese citizens said to be supplying medicine to illegal clinics and hospitals were arrested during a raid on a warehouse at the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Thursday.
Zidong Guo, 53, who introduced himself as a doctor; Chen Weiming, 31, and Hong Qiao Ling, 28, were apprehended by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Archie Albao, supervising agent of the NBI-Central Luzon office, said NBI agents conducted the raid after an undercover agent of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) managed to buy unregistered medicine and cosmetics from a nearby supermarket.
The NBI said more than P20 million worth of Chinese medicine and cosmetic products were confiscated during the raid.
NBI and FDA agents recently discovered a clandestine medical clinic and pharmacy catering to Chinese citizens infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 at the Fontana Leisure Parks at Clark Freeport.
A Chinese clinic was also discovered in a rented house in Barangay Anunas in Angeles City.
In Laguna, Randy Endaya, 52; his driver Ferdinand Paca, 36, and helper Jape Kyne Bautista were arrested for manufacturing a non-FDA approved food supplement during a raid in Cabuyao on Thursday night.
Three minors were also taken into police custody.
Col. Serafin Petalio, Laguna police director, said boxes of unregistered Honey-C food supplement worth P550,000, a van used to deliver the fake medicine and P90,000 in marked money were recovered from the suspects. Rey Galupo, Ed Amoroso