JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to join the police crackdown on clandestine medical facilities catering to foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals.
Guevarra made the order after police authorities discovered two underground medical facilities believed being used to test and treat Chinese nationals for possible Covid-19 infection.
The NBI and the BI, according to Guevarra, should pool their assets and sources to locate and identify those behind the establishment of these illegal medical facilities.
“It seems that clandestine medical clinics catering mostly to foreign nationals have sprouted and have been operating without proper authority. Considering that they are not being supervised by the government, it is possible that the health of people who seek treatment in these illegal facilities is being compromised,” he said.
“I will therefore ask the NBI and the BI to help the police in locating other similar underground clinics and the people running them, and if warranted, to file the appropriate charges against them,” Guevarra added.
On May 19, the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided Villa 628 of the Fontana Leisure Park in Clarkfield Pampanga on suspicion that it had been turned into a makeshift clinic for Chinese nationals seeking medical treatment for Covid-19.
One patient was reportedly found during the raid and was transferred to a hospital.
Police authorities found seven beds, medical waste such as syringes and tubes and Chinese medicines at the facility.
A week after, the Makati City PNP raided the Goldstar Medical Clinic and Pharmacy Corp. at the fifth floor of New Lasema Spa Building along Sampaloc Street in Barangay San Antonio, Makati City, after it received complaints of medical waste clogging the drainage.
They apprehended Chinese doctor David Lai, 49, and his assistant Liao Songhua, who uses the alias Bruce Liao, 41.
Four patients were at the clinic during the raid, and police said the establishment has no business permit.
Seized were medical supplies such as vials and syringes, rapid test kits, swab test kits and Chinese-labeled medicines worth P5.2 million.
Meanwhile, the BI said it has placed on its alert list the two Chinese nationals caught operating an underground hospital for Covid-19 patients in Pampanga last week.
“We have placed them on our alert list to prevent them from leaving the country and ensure their presence while they are undergoing criminal and administrative investigation for their alleged offenses,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
Morente assured that Liu Wei and Hu Shiling will not be cleared for departure and will instead be referred to the BI intelligence and legal divisions for investigation.
Liu and Hu were arrested on May 19 when their clinic at the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Angeles City, was raided by the police.
They were, however, released on the same day without any charges filed against them.
Morente said the BI is looking into the involvement of Chinese nationals both in Clark and in Makati City.
“I have instructed our Intelligence Division to investigate if these alleged Chinese nationals are legally staying in the country. Should we find they violated our immigration laws, they will be charged with deportation cases before our law and investigation division,” Morente said.