Woman nabbed in Cavite for illegal medicine practice

Authorities arrested a woman in Imus, Cavite for illegal practice of medicine, according to John Consulta’s report on "24 Oras" on Thursday.

The suspect, identified as Ma. Analyn Rivera, and the nurse assisting her were not registered with the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), said Manny Eduarte, head of National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division.

The report quoted a complainant as saying that she brought her COVID-19-positive grandmother for treatment by the supposed doctor.  The patient died after a few days.

Verification by authorities revealed the suspect did not have a PRC registration.

The suspect allegedly offers services through social media and requires patients to buy medicine in their own pharmacy.

“Ginagawa nila ito to prevent from issuing prescription kasi you will indicate in the prescription yung PTR Number,” Eduarte said.

“Considering na wala naman silang PTR as a doctor, to circumvent that, sila na mismo nagproprovide ng mga gamot,” he added.

Marked money from the NBI, as well as different identification cards with different names, were seized from the suspect during the entrapment operation.

The suspect is now in NBI custody and has been charged with falsification of public documents, using fictitious names, use of alias, illegal practice of medicine and violation of the Philippine Pharmacy Act. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA News