Palace alarmed over underground COVID-19 treatment facilities

May 22, 2020

Malacañang expressed alarm on Thursday over the operations of illegal clinics reportedly handling coronavirus disease patients.

This after a police raid in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Wednesday where two Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly running an underground clinic and pharmacy for patients suffering from coronavirus.

"Of course, the Palace is alarmed (over operation of underground medical facilities)," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a virtual press briefing.

Under the law, Roque said only qualified doctors are allowed to practice medicine in the country.

"There is imprisonment being imposed against those practicing medicine here without the license from the PRC (Professional Regulatory Commission)," he said.

He also said that only Food and Drug Administration's approved drugs are allowed to be sold and consumed in the country.

Roque said the law also provides penalty for illegal selling and using of drugs not approved by the FDA.

"So, those arrested in Fontana will be charged because they violated two laws that state that one cannot practice medicine without the license and cannot dispense the drugs not registered with the FDA," Roque said.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided an unauthorized clinic and pharmaceutical store in Mabalacat City.

Two Chinese nationals, reportedly a supervisor of the clinic and a pharmacist at the store, were apprehended during the raid.

Several Chinese medicines and items allegedly not registered with FDA were also seized.

Roque said the Palace acknowledged there are many Chinese medicines proliferating in the country and reportedly being used to treat COVID-19.

He said this was the reason President Rodrigo Duterte earlier directed the FDA to act within 48 hours on the applications for approval on traditional type of medicine.

"The process used (in registering) Western type of medicine is different with the traditional type of medicine. So, if traditional type of medicine, it can immediately be registered with the FDA," Roque said. Celerina Monte/DMS