THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to conduct a full building inspection of the three-storey building in Brgy. San Isidro in Makati City that was raided during the weekend for allegedly operating an “illegal clinic” that caters to Chinese and Vietnamese patients working in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago told radio dzBB their search warrant only covered the ground floor of the building, which was registered as a pharmacy.
When the raid was conducted last Saturday, Santiago said two Chinese and two Vietnamese patients, as well as seven Filipino staff, including two doctors, were present at the illegal clinic.
The NBI chief said the two Filipino doctors have been “uncooperative” with the NBI.
Also found during the raid were several Chinese medicines not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Santiago said that they learned during the raid that the third floor of the building was being used as a storage room for medicine, but operatives were not able to search it because it was not covered by the search warrant.
“Doon na lang namin napag-alaman na ‘yung itaas ay storage ng mga gamot nila, but we cannot go up there… hanggang third floor eh (We found out during the raid that the upper floor was being used as a storage for medicine but we cannot go up there… the building has three floors),” he said.
“‘Yung clinic, hindi dapat clinic kundi botika ang kanilang lisensya. We have a certification from the DOH that that place is supposed to be a botika lamang, hindi clinic. Hindi magke-cater sa mga patients, magku-cure ng patients (The clinic was only registered as a pharmacy, not a clinic. We have a certification from the DOH that proves that the place is supposed to be a pharmacy only, not a clinic that would cater to and treat patients),” Santiago said.
Santiago said NBI operatives will return today and inspect the upper floor after coordinating with the FDA.
In the meantime, he said the building has been put under guard.
“Using the FDA’s visitation power, makakapanhik na kami pare-pareho sa itaas,” he said.
Santiago said the illegal clinic could be tied to the operation of a POGO site in Calabarzon that the NBI is also monitoring.
Last May, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spearheaded a raid against an illegally operating hospital linked to POGOs in Pasay City.
