Francisco Duque takes cognizance of Tuburan hospital mess

CEBU, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is interested to know about the incident whose video of a patient allegedly being unattended at the Tuburan District Hospital went viral on social media.

Cebu Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Rene Catan said the health secretary, through Department of Health-7 director Jaime Bernardas, has asked a copy of the investigation report from the hospital.

“Even the Secretary of Health is very concerned of the video because we were also asked by Dr. Bernadas  of the copy of the initial report made by Dr. (Esteban) Ligaray (Tuburan chief of hospital),” Catan said.

Catan believes that Duque wants to know the facts behind the issue because of the viral video that has projected the country, particularly Cebu, a bad image across the globe.

It was not clear, however, whether the DOH-7 is also conducting a separate investigation into the incident. The CPHO grievance committee is already doing its investigation into the incident. On top of it, the Commission on Human Rights is likewise conducting its own investigation.

Three nurses suspected to have videotaped and uploaded the file on social media were initially placed under indefinite suspension pending the investigation. Catan said he already met with the three nurses together with Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

Catan said there were new information that surfaced during their meeting yesterday.

Catan said the liability may be limited to the one who took the video and uploaded the file on social media. Catan, however, refused to answer when asked whether the nurses admitted taking the video and posting it online.

Davide, for his part, said it was “irresponsible” and “unpardonable” if the nurses were the ones filming the wounded patient instead of attending to his medical needs.

He emphasized that the provincial government has issued a memorandum in the past particularly a hospital policy prohibiting Capitol-hired medical personnel from taking videos or photos of patients or of critical operations.

Davide, however, did not dismiss the possibility that another person present during the February 8 incident may have taken the video and uploaded it.

The governor admitted that the video has tarnished the reputation of the district hospital and the provincial government in general.

 “That is a black eye already… if I were an ordinary person viewing the video, I can really question why no one attended the patient,” he said.

Catan, however, maintained that the attending medical personnel followed the procedure in treating the patient and there was no lapse in the hospital operations. He insisted that the viral video did not show the entire situation when drug suspect Gembe Casas was brought in the emergency room after he got shot by the police during an anti-drug operation.

Family seeks justice

Meanwhile, the family of Casas is crying for justice as they denied the victim was into drugs.

 Redelito, elder brother of Gembe, said they were together when his brother was shot during an alleged anti-drug operation. Redelito said there was no operation.

He said they were on their way home riding a habalhabal when they saw a police car from the opposite direction. Redelito said he instructed the driver to give way but the police car allegedly blocked their way.

His brother allegedly alighted from the motorcycle but the police accosted him. The police, whom he said were wearing face mask, allegedly told his brother not to run.

Redelito said his brother raised his hands up but the police shot him. After shooting his brother, the driver of the patrol car allegedly asked him and the habalhabal driver if they have guns.

When they answered that they did not have any, they were told to leave. Redelito said he immediately reported to his family what happened and went back to the area together with the other members of the family.

Upon reaching the area, they were told that the police already brought his brother to the hospital. At the hospital, they were allegedly not allowed to get inside.

Cristina, mother of Gembe, said they want justice for her son. She said the  family will file charges against the police and the hospital staff. — Christele Isabela B. Basco and Micole Gerard J. Tizon (FREEMAN)