Black Suede scandal VSMMC OR team  told to explain side

The doctors and nurses of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center who were involved in the scandal involving the videotaped removal of a body spray canister from the rectum of a florist have been asked to explain by the hospital chief why charges should not be filed against them.

VSMMC Medical Center chief Gerardo Aquino has issued a show cause order to the identified personnel in the controversial video to submit their comments under oath within three days.

Aquino said doctors Philips Leo Arias, head surgeon; Dr. Angelo Alinawagan, assisting surgeon; Max Joseph Montecillo, surgeon at an adjacent operating table in the video; Nursing attendant Rosemarie Villareal and circulating nurse Carmiña Sapio have been recommended for administrative charges.

No preventive measures have so far been imposed since there no charges have been filed yet.

The medical team’s arguments will be examined before a preliminary investigation is set in motion by a hearing committee formed by the DOH.

The DOH said it will also forward the results of its investigation to the Professional Regulation Commission, which will ultimately deliberate whether or not to revoke the licenses of the doctors and nurses involved.

Duque said they will review the findings submitted by the regional heath office in Central Visayas to determine what sanctions they can impose against the accused medical practitioners after the said regional office upheld the results of the VSMMC fact-finding team finding probable cause to file administrative charges.

In particular, the DOH said the medical team violated hospital surgery protocol when the operation was recorded on video without consent and when the medical team disrespected the patient.

For her part, Central Visayas regional health director Susana Madarieta quoted VSMMC officials as defending the members of the medical team, saying their reaction was allegedly the result “of a sudden outburst of emotion due to the success of the operation”.

“They were so ecstatic when they were able to successfully extract the object but they were not anymore aware of what was happening around, that people were already taking videos and everything because of the successful operation,” Madarieta said.

But still Madarieta said they will not tolerate such behavior, adding “The reaction was very excessive also.” — Jasmin R. Uy/BRP