MANILA -- Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has ordered a government doctor in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro dismissed for not treating a patient who was giving birth and causing her baby's death.
She ordered the forfeiture of the retirement benefits of Dr. Idol Bondoc, former employee of the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital, for leaving a patient alone in the delivery room.
The Ombudsman has also ordered Bondoc's eligibility cancelled. He will also be permanently banned from government service.
Gutierrez said Bondoc "practically delegated his responsibility to the midwives. Such attitude exemplified capriciousness in performing his duties”.
The complainant identified as Marilou Mantala went to the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital to give birth in April 2009. She was left by her doctor in the delivery room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mantala said when Bontoc returned to the delivery room and found she had not yet given birth, he ordered midwives to do induce delivery by pressing her stomach. She passed out from the pain, but managed to give birth.
She said that when she regained consciousness, she was told her ovaries had been cut and her child had died during the delivery.
Bondoc has since resigned from the provincial hospital, but the Ombudsman said this did not render the complaint moot and academic as the doctor claimed in his defense.
“The separation of the employee subject of an administrative complaint from government service does not automatically warrant a dismissal of the case, especially if there are accessory penalties (imposed) upon the respondent in case of a finding of guilt,” the Ombudsman said. (Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)