29-year-old patient dies after three procedures at cosmetic clinic

A 29-year-old patient died after undergoing three aesthetic procedures at a clinic on Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City, Cedric Castillo reported on 24 Oras.

Shiryl Saturnino was reported on Tuesday to have died at The Icon Clinic hours after she entered its operating room at 5 p.m. on Saturday for a liposuction, butt, and breast augmentation.

The Icon Clinic's staff noticed that Saturnino no longer had a pulse at 3 a.m. on Sunday after all her procedures have been completed.

Mandaluyong City Police Chief Sr. Supt. Joaquin Alva said the doctor who performed Saturnino's operation called for an ambulance from the Makati Medical Center and tried to revive her but failed.

"Triny nilang ma-revive 'to around 2:40 pero nag-expire siya mga 3:21," Alva said.

Operating doctors Dr. Jose Jovito Mendiola and Dr. Samuel Yapjuangco, circulating nurse Virgil Alec Ongleo, nurse assistant Alvin Carl Genove, and staff nurse Audrey Michelle have submitted their licenses and documents to the police.

Alva clarified that they have yet to identify a suspect behind Saturnino's death.

"Kinausap ng mga investigator ko yung mga doctor. Kaya lang nagpeprepare pa sila ng statement, nagpapa-assist sila sa lawyer nila," he explained. "Ang pinaka magiging matibay na batayan natin ay yung resulta ng autopsy."

Saturnino's parents had no idea that her emergency was connected to aesthetic procedures until they found her dead.

"(Nadatnan namin) sa operating room. Pagdating namin ayun, nakatakip na siya ng ano, kumot. Actually, hindi ko alam na ganun yung daratnan ko, akala ko buhay pa siya," Sherly, Saturnino's mother, said.

"Wala po kaming alam. Lahat po nun, ng procedure po niya, wala po kaming alam," she continued.

Dante Anabe, Saturnino's uncle, said the family came to the clinic on Tuesday afternoon to ask for a refund for her niece's procedures.

"Inalam namin kung how much did she pay, so nalaman namin kung magkano then we requested for a refund. And then granted naman yung refund," Anabe said.

Saturnino's family may press charges against The Icon Clinic.

"We're contemplating on that, we're just waiting for the result of the histopathology exam," Anabe said.

The Icon Clinic's legal counsel, Atty. Estelita D. Cordero, stressed that it was working with the police and Saturnino's family in addition to requesting five working days to submit affidavits pertinent to the case.

She added that Saturnino had been a regular patient for years and was cherished by the clinic.

"Ginagawa po namin ang lahat at kasalukuyan po kaming nakikipagtulungan sa abot ng aming makakaya upang malaman kung ano ang totoong nangyayari sa 'di inaasahang pagpanaw ni Bb. Saturnino," Cordero wrote.

She added, "Si Bb. Saturnino ay ilang taong nang regular pasyente ng The Icon Clinic at labis naming ikinalulungkot ang kanyang sinapit." —Rie Takumi/NB, GMA News