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Monday, January 21, 2008
Hospital 'raid' in Panabo decried
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The owner and administrator of a medical group running a hospital in Panabo City, Davao del Norte sought the help of authorities after they were evicted from the facility by more than a dozen burly men in camouflage jackets at dawn of January 11.
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The complainants are Dr. Henry Derla, owner, and Dr. Benjamin Canales Jr., administrator, of Panabo Medical Services, Incorporated, which leased Navares Medical Clinic and Pharmacy along the national highway in Barangay San Francisco, Panabo City.
Canales reported the incident to the Panabo City Police Office. He said a group headed by one Epifanio Alfeche Jr., also known as Jun Alfeche, forcibly entered the hospital premises through the back door and barricaded the main entrance.
They padlocked the doors and cut off the telephone wire.
Later, Derla, who is also a surgeon of Brokenshire Memorial Hospital and the newly opened Davao Medical School Foundation Hospital, told newsmen that the 10 patients -- eight children and two adults -- and his hospital staff panicked when the burly men headed by Alfeche swooped into the hospital premises.
He said Alfeche ordered his men to surround and barricade the hospital entrance while allegedly putting padlock on all hospital exits and entryways.
He said Alfeche and all the other men were not government authorities, although he knows Alfeche to be a Philippine Army reservist.
It appears that Alfeche was the one collecting rent from the hospital for the owner.
However, they were surprised by Alfeche's action since they were never delinquent on their payments.
Derla said it was Canales who called for police assistance. Canales said Alfeche and his men would not allow him, as administrator, to enter the hospital to check on the condition of the patients and his staff workers inside.
He said it was only due to the intervention of the police officers who arrived headed by a Captain Silvosa that he was allowed to enter the hospital premises.
Derla decried the way Alfeche and his men entered the hospital.
"It was a good thing none of the patients were seriously ill and died during the sudden takeover," Derla said.
Canales said someone among the "raiding" group warned him that violence would break out if his patients and staff will not leave by nightfall, so he was forced to vacate the area in the afternoon of that day.
He said they transferred their patients to other hospitals in Panabo, while their group is dispensing outpatient services in a temporary site nearby.
This despite the existence of a lease contract of seven years -- from November 1, 2003 to November 1, 2010 -- entered into by Derla's group with the Navares family.
The rental amount was P20,000 during the first year, P23,000 during the second year, and increased by 10 percent on the third year and every year thereafter.
The amount was to be paid to Magdalena Alfeche, wife of Jun Alfeche.
Derla said his group does not have any arrears in the rental, claiming he has in fact paid in advance.
He said the contract of lease was renewable in their favor (the Derlas).
Derla meantime had already informed the Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Hospital Association, City Mayor's Office and other government authorities about the incident. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (January 21, 2008 issue)
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