Are they real doctors? Grandfather of boy who died after circumcision asks

The grandfather of the 13-year-old boy from Quezon province who bled to death after circumcision said he doubts if the volunteers who performed the operation were real doctors.

This, as police said it is coordinating with the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) for the possible filing of charges against the persons who did the procedure, according to Oscar Oida’s report on "24 Oras."

“Nasa tulian pa lang at nagdudugo na syempre kung doctor talaga yon magde-decision yun na dalhin na sa ospital yung tinulian na madugo. Eh ako’y nagdu-duda don sa nagtuli baka hindi nga talaga doctor sinasabi lang na doctor yun eh,” said Marcelo Alvarez, grandfather of Angelo Tolentino.

(“If they were real doctors, they should know that he (Tolentino) should have been rushed to the hospital urgently. That’s why I am doubtful about them. Maybe they are not doctors… they just claim to be.”)

Tolentino was buried on Sunday, but the organizers of the medical mission have yet to reach out to his family.

Tolentino’s family said it has sought the help of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and PAO, which initiated an autopsy on the victim.

"May kaunting problema sa mga medical mission na ganun dahil hindi na nagkakaroon ng screening," Dr. Erwn Erfe, PAO chief of forensics, said.

PAO chief Persida Acosta questioned the lack of medicine or first aid measures to stop the bleeding?

“Wala man lang silang baon na Tranexamic o Hemostan? At i-monitor, at obserbahan ng kahit ilang minuto man lang 10 hanggang 15 minuto itong batang ito kung maampat ang dugo? Wala man lang monitoring?” Acosta said.

(They do not have Tranexamis or Hemostan? They did not even monitor or observe even for a few minutes if the bleeding will stop?)

Based on his death certificate, Tolentino bled to death after availing of the free circumcision in a medical mission organized by the fraternity group Scout Royal Brotherhood (SRB) in Zaballero, Lucena City on March 21. He was rushed to the hospital the same day but passed away on March 22.

Several representatives of SRB went to the local police station to coordinate with the investigation, Lucena Police reported. They also contacted PAO but refused to name the medical practitioners who performed the surgery.

GMA News tried to seek their comment but they also refused.

“Yun pong grupo ng SRB ay nakipag-ugnayan na po. Ayon sa kanila, ang usapin po ay kanila nang isinangguni sa kanilang legal adviser,” PSMS Wilbar Apoli said.

(The SRB has already coordinated. According to them, they have already consulted the situation to their legal adviser.)

The police assured the victim’s family it won’t stop with the probe and would continue its coordination with PAO to identify the suspects and file appropriate charges against them.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA News