Thursday, May 08, 2008 Surgeons group seeks fair probe on surgical scandal
THE Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) on Wednesday urged the authorities to conduct a fair and objective investigation into the Cebu surgery scandal and to impose the appropriate sanctions against those involved in the issue.
At the same time, PCS president Armando Crisostomo expressed concern on the possible negative effects of the incident on Filipino surgeons who are working here and abroad.
“The PCS expresses its deep concern over the unfortunate incident that revealed apparent unbecoming behavior during the performance of a surgical procedure,” he said.
It was only last month when a surgical patient from Cebu complained of having his rectal surgery at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) operating room uploaded in the video-sharing website, YouTube.
The footage showed the surgeon and nurses giggling and cheering while a perfume canister was being removed from his anus after it got stuck from a sexual encounter with a fellow male.
The Department of Health (DOH) has already named nine individuals in the Cebu scandal, led by head surgeon Dr. Philips Leo Arias, while saying the individuals who will be found liable are set to face administrative and criminal charges as well as possible removal of licenses to practice.
But according to Crisostomo, their group cannot sanction Arias as he is not a registered member of PCS.
Meanwhile, the gay in the Cebu “canister scandal” is now avoiding the media spotlight.
Danton Remoto, chairman of Ang Ladlad, said the gay who had been videotaped during an operation to remove a body spray canister inserted in his rectum has made himself scarce for interviews.
“Aside from the death threats, he doesn’t want to be interviewed by reporters,” Remoto told the weekly Sitio Fernandina forum in Greenhills, San Juan City.
He said even their group has difficulty convincing the gay to accept help by providing him with professional counselors.
“We like to provide him with a psychologist or therapist who would guide him and help him cope with the traumatic experience he had been through,” Remoto said.
Ang Ladlad welcomed the recommendation of the Office of the Ombudsman in Western Visayas to file charges against the three doctors and a nurse of VSMMC, a government-run hospital in Cebu.
The ombudsman decided to sue Arias, Dr. Marlowe Parreno, Dr. Angelo Linawagan, Dr. Alfred Joseph De Leon, Dr. Joanne Mae Merilles, Dr. Serapio Salazar and Dr. Max Joseph Montecillo for violation of Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Also implicated in the case were nurses Isabelita Remulta, Carmenia Sapio, Consuelo Tecling and Ida Sumayang; nursing attendant Rosemarie Villareal; and clinical instructors identified as "Mr. A. Oplado". (FP/AH/Sunnex)
