Cebu ‘surgery scandal’ victim to file request for hospital records

MANILA, Philippines - The man who underwent a surgery to have a perfume canister removed from his anus is seeking hospital records pertaining to his surgery, and threatened to file a writ of habeas data should hospital officials refuse to release the records. A radio report said the victim in the Cebu "surgery scandal" will be sending Monday afternoon a request letter addressed to officials of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) asking that he be furnished with medical records relating to the January operation. The report quoted the victim, who wished to be identified as Danilo, as saying that he would be "requesting for certified copies of all medical and hospitalization records, consisting but not limited to written documents or videos pertaining to the confinement of the victim." The victim also included in his letter a request for the release of the identities of the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff involved in the incident, as well as their corresponding roles and responsibilities in the operation. The report said that should Danilo's request be denied, he would be proceeding to court to file a petition for writ of habeas data. Aside from sending the request letter, Danilo would also be heading to the Visayas Office of the Ombudsman later in the day to formally lodge complaints against those involved in the scandal. But Danilo is not the sole individual itching to know the identities of the medical practitioners. Even VSMMC doctors are requesting that the names be revealed, saying they have also been suffering from the 'stigma' that had been created by the incident. For his part, Gerardo Aquino Jr, chief of medical services at VSMMC, said they have already sent the complete six-page report on their investigation to the regional Department of Health. The names of the people involved are included in the said report, he added. "Walang nag-utos sa amin (na magwithold ng pangalan) pero sinubmit na namin ang report, irereview nila ngayon. Upon their review ay malamang sasabihin na nila ngayon ang pangalan (No one told us to withhold the names but we are awaiting a review of the regional DoH. But they will probably be revealing the names later)," Aquino said in a separate radio interview. As far as whether medical licenses will be revoked, the report said that officials from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) are still awaiting the results of a separate investigation being conduced by the local Health Department in Cebu City. On Friday last week, the investigating committee formed by the VSMMC revealed their results, finding probable cause in filing administrative charges against three doctors and a nurse. The student nurses will be sanctioned per discretion of their respective school administrators. The 'scandal' stemmed from a video clip uploaded on video-sharing YouTube showing an operation held in January 2007 that involved the removal of a canister of perfume that got stuck up the rectum of victim Danilo. The video clip showed doctors, nurses, and student nurses gathered around the patient while laughing and giggling during the operation. After the object was removed from the victim's body, the medical team erupted in cheers and applause, with one even heard bellowing, "Baby out!" The Philippine Medical Institution and the Commission on Human Rights have likewise voiced their concerns over the purported 'misconduct' and violation of the patient-doctor confidentiality, even as the advocacy group for homosexuals Ang Ladlad has offered to give psychological assistance to the victim. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV