Saturday, May 24, 2008 DOH to abide by decision of ombud
THE Department of Health has yet to receive official communication from the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the turnover of Genaro Jorolan’s administrative case filed against hospital workers.
In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Dr. Angelita Salarda, who heads the hearing committee, said that they are waiting for the official letter from the Ombudsman.
The DOH and the Ombudsman met last Thursday and discussed who should handle the case.
Salarda yesterday said they received no word yet as to who would be finally taking over the case, as they are now only waiting for the official letter from the Ombudsman.
Communication
In the supposd official communication, it will indicate who would take over the case and what actions the Ombudsman would be taking should they decide to take over the case, said Salarda.
In a separate interview with Sun.Star Cebu, DOH 7 Director Susana Madarieta said the DOH 7 is willing to turnover the case and all necessary documents in the case the Ombudsman would take over.
Madarieta said they have been ordered by DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla to follow whatever the Ombudsman would decide.
“If the Ombudsman decides that they will takeover the case, we don’t have a choice. Even if everything’s ready, it really is the order of the ombudsman,” said Madarieta.
In case the Ombudsman decides to take over with the case, Madarieta added that all legal procedures the DOH will would be turned over as well. This would mean that the preventive suspension of the three hospital workers, as well as their scheduled hearings would be given to the Ombudsman.
“Ila ra sayu-on ang tanan, then it will all undergo reviewing,” (They will all pass it early) said Madarieta.
Charges
Issues on which agency would handle Jorolan’s case arose last week, as both the DOH and the Ombudsman have filed administrative charges against those involved in Jorolan’s surgery last January 3.
In DOH’s chronology of events, it was on May 12 when Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Chief Gerard Aquino filed a formal charge against the six people involved in the operation. On May 13, the respondents received the charges. And on May 16, those charged submitted their answers to the DOH. By May 19, DOH 7 received all answers from the six charged and set their pre-hearing initially to May 19. However, since lawyers were not available on the same day, they have rescheduled the pre-hearing on May 27.
Salarda said that they would continue with their scheduled pre-hearing on Tuesday. (EPB)
