MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) might release next week the results of its investigation on the sex videotape and drug use scandals involving one of its members, cosmetic doctor Hayden Kho Jr.
The commission might be able to wrap up the investigation next week as Kho had already owned up to videotaping his intimate moments with some women and using prohibited drugs, according to Dr. Bu Castro, spokesman of PMA’s Commission on Ethics.
“He did not deny it so I think that will speed up the investigation,” said Castro, who claimed that the commission could make use of the statements given by Kho during a Senate inquiry and before other bodies investigating him.
He said there might no longer be a need to summon actress Katrina Halili.
In an earlier interview, PMA president Dr. Rey Melchor Santos maintained that if found guilty by the commission, they would strike Kho from its roster.
The PMA also intends to recommend to the Professional Regulation Commission the revocation of Kho’s license to practice medicine.
Santos admitted that the controversy had affected those in the medical profession so they decided to look into the allegations motu propio.
Belo denies uploading video
In a related development, Dr. Vicki Belo’s legal counsel, lawyer Adel Tamano, yesterday claimed in an afternoon television talk show that businessman Eric Chua’s statement has a lot of inconsistencies and that his client has documentary evidence and a witness to prove it.
In an interview over GMA-7’s “Startalk,” Tamano, citing Chua’s affidavit, noted that the latter had said Belo asked him to come to her house to help her open the computer.
But in the same affidavit, it was alleged that Belo gave him the password, said Tamano.
“If she already knew the password, why would she call Mr. Eric Chua,” he said.
Tamano also said Chua gave the wrong address of Belo’s residence and that he was the one who first left Belo’s house after downloading the videos.
The lawyer said a logbook would prove who is telling the truth.
He said they could use the logbook and its contents as documentary evidence to prove Belo’s innocence in the sex video controversy.
Tamano said a witness, a Singaporean national named Jacklyn Thung, and a consultant of Belo Medical Group, would testify that Chua indeed gave the video to his client.
Belo had denied last Thursday Chua’s claim that she was behind the uploading of Kho’s sex videos on the Internet.
It was the first time that Belo answered the accusation against her by Chua, a former friend of Kho, since returning from Europe last Tuesday.
Belo said her lawyers decided to file a supplemental affidavit before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to belie Chua’s allegation.
Drug abuse in showbiz
Meanwhile, a number of personalities in the entertainment industry continue to deny there is drug abuse among their ranks, causing the problem to persist, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Dionisio Santiago said yesterday.
Santiago, however, said that the agency will find ways to pin down those involved in drug abuse and substance peddling in local showbiz and put a number of them behind bars.
The PDEA chief issued the statement to warn local celebrities behind the illegal drug trade in the entertainment business.
The issue has been brought up on the sidelines of the Kho-Halili sex video scandal. Accusations and admissions of drug abuse had become part of the controversy, prompting the PDEA and the Dangerous Drugs Board to step in.
Kho and Halili both underwent drug tests and tested negative, but PDEA officials said that what they got was immaterial since Kho, who admitted to have been on drugs at the time he took the video footage, did not give the names of those supposedly involved in the drug trade.
Santiago lamented that their concern has been misconstrued by some in the entertainment industry as a crackdown on actors and other celebrities.
“The basic issue of denial is their problem,” Santiago said on the sidelines of a press conference yesterday where he presented an arrested Chinese national who was an alleged shabu chemist of a Chinese triad.
“They represent only a small portion of showbiz, but those (showbiz personalities rumored to be involved in drug abuse and trade) are being considered as role models by our youth. So we appeal to the showbiz industry (to cooperate with us),” he said. – With Sandy Araneta, Reinir Padua