YEARENDER: Rectal surgery scandal grips VSMMC

Cebu fell into the limelight in 2008 when the controversy on the rectum surgery held at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center caught the attention of the public not only locally but worldwide.  

Although the removal of the canister from his rectum was a life-saving experience, the 39-year-old gay florist said it has caused him so much pain and embarrassment because his privacy was violated when the video, which was supposed to be taken with confidentiality, was posted in YouTube and was feasted on by millions of Internet users around the globe.

The patient, who wants to be identified only as “Jan-Jan,” a resident of barangay Basak Pardo in Cebu City had undergone a rectal operation on January 3, two days after he had intercourse with a stranger on New Year’s Eve. He claimed that he was drunk and asleep when the perfume canister was inserted in his rectum.

But three months after the operation, Jan-Jan said his attention was called by Basak Pardo barangay captain Dave Tumulak who learned that the video footage of his operation was being circulated in the cellphones.

Angry and feeling violated, the victim came out in the media and expressed his interest to file charges against the medical personnel of the VSMMC where he had an operation.

Jan-Jan sought for P6 million in damages against the medical team who operated on him and from the hospital for allegedly violating his rights to privacy, confidentiality, and dignity as a human being.

The victim had also requested the Professional Regulations Commission to revoke the licenses of the doctors and nurses for their alleged unprofessional acts while the operation was being done on him.

However, PRC hearing officer Mildred Antepuesto said they still have to determine if they have jurisdiction over the case.

Antepuesto said the doctors’ licenses may be revoked or the physicians could be reprimanded or suspended, depending on the ruling of the members of the board headed by Florentino Doble.

The Department of Health had earlier placed doctors Philips Leo Arias, head surgeon, and Max Joseph Montecillo, assistant surgeon, and nurse Carmiña Sapio under three-month preventive suspension while their case is being investigated. The incident has also prompted the hospital management to tighten procedures in the operating room.

The controversial video showed doctors, nurses, as well as other people who had no business being inside the operating room, shouting, laughing, clapping their hands and otherwise making fun of the patient’s predicament.

The footage, which logged thousands of hits on the YouTube website, and which got passed on from cellphone to cellphone, eventually reached the patient, who promptly surfaced and complained against the violation of his rights.

After an investigation, health officials identified the members of the medical team involved as Doctors Phillip Leo Arias, Marlowe Parreno, Angelo Linawagan, Alfred Joseph De Leon, Joanne Mae Merilles, Serapio Salazar and Max Joseph Montecillo, registered nurses Isabelita Remulta, Carmenia Sapio, Consuelo Tecling and Ida Sumayang, clinical instructors Ramon Pandaan and a certain A. Opado from Southwestern University, and nursing aide Rosemarie Villareal.

The DOH, however, later stopped hearing the administrative case against the accused medical personnel and turned over the case to the Visayas Ombudsman.

The controversy had also caught the attention of the legislators including Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel who filed a resolution seeking for a congressional inquiry into the matter.

During the first congressional hearing that was held in Cebu, VSMMC officials admitted before the members of the House committee on human rights that there was breach in the hospital manual of procedures in the conduct of operation on the gay patient to remove a perfume canister stuck in his rectum.

The second inquiry was held at the House of Representatives in Manila where legislators came up with a proposal to amend the Philippine Medical Act to impose heavier penalties on doctors involved in medical malpractice and other offenses.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has prohibited students in medical-related courses from using cellular phones, cameras and video cameras while attending clinical practices, in the aftermath of the controversial surgery scandal.

In a memorandum, CHED acting chairman Romulo Neri “admonished” all CHED regional directors and heads of private and public colleges and universities offering health-related courses to advise their students to “refrain from using” such devices while undertaking practicum or clinical classes.

A copy of the memorandum, dated April 24, was also sent to the DOH. —/WAB (THE FREEMAN)