Friday, May 16, 2008 DOH ‘willing to give way to Ombudsman’
THE Department of Health (DOH) is willing to give way to the Office of the Ombudsman in the investigation of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) medical workers over a controversial operation to remove a perfume canister from a patient’s rectum.
In a dyLA interview, DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla said DOH is ready to let the ombudsman handle the case.
“Talagang ‘pag ginawa yan sa ombudsman talagang wala na rin kaming responsibilidad sa kaso na yan (If the ombudsman takes the case, we will no longer have responsibility over it.),” Padilla said.
Until it is decided who will handle the case, DOH will continue with their own investigation, said Padilla.
Meeting
“Tumutuloy ang aming imbestigasyon until the ombudsman tells us otherwise,” he said.
Genaro Jorolan, the patient in the controversial operation, and his lawyer will meet DOH and the Office of the Ombudsman to determine who will handle the case.
The meeting is being scheduled after confusion surfaced Tuesday on who will handle the case because both the DOH and the ombudsman are looking into it.
Guiller Ceniza, Jorolan’s lawyer, said they are still waiting for word from Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palan-ca-Santiago when their meeting will be held.
Last Tuesday, Jorolan and Ceniza tried to file a complaint before the DOH against VSMMC Chief Gerardo Aquino and several members of the hospital staff.
Answers
“Dili pa to i-file karun, naghuwat pa mi sa decision pud sa director (We’re still waiting for the decision of director San-tiago),” said Ceniza during a phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu.
According to Ceniza, they will have a conference between DOH and ombudsman to finally decide who will be taking over the case.
DOH 7 Director Susana Madarieta agreed with the plan of meeting with the ombudsman and Jorolan’s legal counsel in order to clarify things.
Madarieta, however, said they still have to receive a formal communication about the meeting.
For now, DOH 7 is still waiting for the answers of six people who have been charged over the controversial operation to remove a canister from Jorolan’s rectum.
The six have received the formal complaints filed by Aquino and are expected to finally answer their charges by tomorrow.
Once DOH will receive the answers of the six people, they will continue with their pre-hearing, which is scheduled to take place by Wednesday next week.
Leading the hearing committee is Dr. Angelita Salarda with Dr. Elaine Teleron and Engr. Miguel Jerson as part of her team.
Salarda said they cannot reveal the names of those who are charged until they receive their answers.
Expected to be present during the pre-hearing next week will be the six people charged with their lawyers and Jorolan and Ceniza.
“During the pre-hearing conference, there will be stipulation of facts, simplification of issues and marking of evidence,” said Salarda.
Preference
After the pre-hearing, they will then schedule the final hearing. They will have to decide whether they will be heard separately or whether the charges will be consolidated.
While the DOH filed charges only against six people, the office of the ombudsman has filed charges against fourteen people.
Ceniza said they would prefer that the ombudsman handle their case.
“Mo prefer mi sa ombudsman, kay didto fourteen man kabuok ang gi-chargan as compared to didto sa DOH nga six ra sila kabuok ang gi-chargan,” he said. (EPB)
