AN illegally operating hospital allegedly linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) was raided by operatives of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in Pasay City.
Reports said POGO workers would visit the facility where in high-end pieces of equipment were present including a hemodialysis machine.
In Raffy Tima’s exclusive report on Monday’s State of the Nation PAOCC head Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said “Dito tumatakbo yung mga nasusugatan na mga magpo-POGO, mga nagkakasakit.”
One of the foreigners arrested for prescribing medicine to patients, a Vietnamese, said he was just visiting the establishment but a guard said otherwise.
A discrete backdoor was also found in the clinic, a possible indicator that clients know of its clandestine nature. The establishment itself was located amongst several restaurants.
“Upon checking, there is no hospital in this area with a license to operate,” said PAOCC Spokesperson Winston John Casio.
“Kami po ay nagkasa ng mga intelligence visits at napag-alaman namin na meron ngang ganito, ospital, mga doktor at nurses na walang mga permit, mga license to practice medicine and nursing in the Philippines,”said Casio.
Authorities will investigate why the facility continues to operate even after some of its Filipino staff said they were previously raided.
The patients were documented before being released while the arrested staff was detained at the Bureau of Immigration facility for criminal charges and immigration violation.
The clinic was padlocked by the authorities.
