Ethics suit filed vs. solon over gluta-drip sessions at House office

A complaint has been filed against a party-list lawmaker before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges over her supposedly "highly unethical activities," including Gluta-drip sessions done at her office at the House of Representatives.

BenCy Allorin, chairperson of the Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and Environment, filed the complaint against MATA party-list Representative Tricia Nicole Velasco-Catera on Wednesday.

According to Allorin, Velasco-Catera's "unbecoming" acts make a mockery of her duties as lawmaker.

These include "her effort to publicize on several occasions, her obviously personal activities such as Gluta-drip sessions done in her office at the premises of the House of Representatives no less, and during official time when she should be in the performance of official functions."

"Further, it is questionable if this practice is classified safe or legal under the code of ethics for doctors," he added.

Allorin named a certain Dr. Bryan Buenaventura as the one whom Velasco-Catera employs to conduct the glutathione sessions in her office.

"The opinion of the officers of the Philippine Dermatological Society and other relevant medical associations must also be sought as glutathione and vitamin drips are highly discouraged by many established medical professionals," he added.

Allorin pointed out that as a representative of the health sector, and a vice chairman of the House Committee on Health at that, Velasco-Catera should not be seen promoting medical practices that may be dangerous to the lives of Filipinos.

"We believe that the public deserves no less than upstanding public officials and not people who make a mockery of our government," he said.

"We at Pinoy Aksyon, are watchdogs of transparency and good moral ethics which we as a group believe should be demanded from all public officials. We vow to hold our public servants to their commitment to authentic public service and thus their personal and public lives should reflect such," he added.

GMA News Online has reached out to Velasco-Catera's camp for reaction but they have yet to respond as of posting time.

Aside from this complaint, Allorin has also written to the Commission on Elections to investigate the MATA party-list for supposedly employing unregistered doctors and products not registered with the Food and Drug Administration in some of its medical missions. —NB, GMA News