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Friday, September 12, 2003
Drugstore owners face charges for fake drugs
By Christie Enriquez-Uayan
DAVAO -- Administrative and criminal charges are being prepared against the owners of Davao Medica Distributor and Retailer (DMDR), said Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) 11 legal officer Gil Cawad Thursday.
Cawad said the Bfad central office in Manila would handle the administrative charges against Davao Medica owners but would forward the criminal complaint against drugstore officers to the justice department.
"Our lab analysis confirmed those confiscated from DMDR were counterfeit because they only contain about 80 percent of active ingredients," Cawad told Sun.Star in a telephone interview, explaining that based on Republic Act 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs, these are already considered artificial medicines.
Once Bfad forwards the complaint to the justice department, Cawad said the DOJ would immediately issue an order stopping Davao Medica's operations in the city.
A total of 68 boxes of counterfeit medicines believed to be worth millions of pesos, and with brand names Tempra, Calpol, Ventolin, Robitussin, Ceporex, Disudrin, Betet ointment and herbal tea, were confiscated by the authorities from the six branches of DMDR.
Davao Medica's main branch located at Sta. Ana Avenue corner F. Bangoy Street was raided Saturday by a team from the Department of Health (DOH) 11, Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) 11, and elements of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) under the supervision of Atty. Ireneo Galicia, chief of the Legal Information and Compliance Division of the Bfad central office.
Davao Medica's other branches are located in Catalunan Grande, corner Jacinto and Mapa, corner Palma Gil and Sobrecary, Bo. Obrero and at the Lourdes T. Building in Toril, Davao City.
Raiding teams simultaneously raided Davao Medica's six branches at around 9:05 a.m.
Listed as owners of the drugstores are Jee A. Ayuste and Araceli P. Benito. Their five registered pharmacists are Joyen Manansala, Lafonsia Ancia, Gina Maranan, Lilibeth Rancho and Anna Marichu Estaca.
The fake drugs and medicines allegedly came from various suppliers in Metro Manila and distributed in Davao City.
Cawad said they have yet to identify the manufacturers of these fake medicines.
(September 12, 2003 issue) |
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