Two charged for Lung Center fraud

The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) has filed criminal charges against two individuals for misrepresenting a congressman in procuring medicines illegally.

Marianito Sales, president and chief operating officer of Amtrak Logistics Corporation and a resident of Amsterdam St., Capitol Homes Subdivision in Quezon City, and Lorenzo Anonas, of G-7 Fuente Circle, Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City, were charged with estafa and falsification of documents.

LCP Director Fernando Melendres said the hospital received a letter from Mountain Province Rep. Roy Pilando on Feb. 27, 2002 requesting assistance in procuring 3,000 boxes of Salbutamol Nebules, 3,000 vials of Cefuroxime (Zinacef) and 150 boxes of Econopack TDR.

Melendres said the hospital’s executive committee, which he chairs, approved the request and instructed the LCP Pharmacy to sell the said drugs to the representatives of the Congressman at 10 percent discount.

He said the drugs were issued to the suspects after paying the appropriate amount.

According to the LCP director, a second request was received by the hospital on July 12, 2002 for another set of medicines but was not approved upon recommendation of the Pharmacy and the therapeutics committee.

On Nov. 20, 2002, Melendres said he received a letter from Pilando that his office never ordered and purchased medicines from the LCP. The hospital found out that Pilando’s signature was forged.

Pilando also personally visited the LCP to inform the hospital that he was not aware of the transactions for the purchase of medicines and all the communications emanating from his office received by the LCP bore forged signatures.