THE Southern Philippines Medical Center clarified that online claims alleging the hospital would “refuse or limit services” to patients based on political affiliations are “false and misleading.”
“Healthcare must never be politicized. Our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers continue to uphold the principle that every patient deserves equal access to quality medical care,” SPMC said in a statement released May 13.
The statement came after several social media posts went viral, calling on SPMC to allegedly stop accepting patients from provinces and cities whose congressmen voted in favor of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
One viral post urged the hospital to “refrain from accepting patients” from provinces and cities whose lawmakers voted “yes” to adopt House Resolution 989 and Committee Report 261 containing the Articles of Impeachment. The post read: “Dear SPMC, pls refrain from accepting patients from nearby provinces and cities, nga nag YES sa impeachment, and ihungit sila sa ilang congressman instead,” suggesting that those supporting the impeachment should instead seek help from their respective congressmen.
Another post in Cebuano suggested that residents from Davao del Sur would feel ashamed seeking treatment at SPMC following the impeachment vote.
“Kitang taga Davao del Sur og magpa hospital ta sa SPMC dili ta mamatay satong sakit mamatay tas kaulaw (We from Davao del Sur won’t die from our illness when we go to SPMC — we’ll die from shame instead),” another post read.
The posts drew hundreds of reactions, shares, and mixed opinions online.
On May 11, the House of Representatives of the Philippines impeached Duterte after 255 lawmakers voted to adopt the Articles of Impeachment. Twenty-six lawmakers voted against the measure, while nine abstained.
The complaints against Duterte include allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, abuse of authority, and betrayal of public trust. RGP
