Government doctor faces raps for working at 2 private hospitals

A government doctor is now facing charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly rendering services in two other private hospitals.

Charged was Dr. Pedro Danilo Lagamayo, who is currently serving as a medical specialist at the Philippine Heart Center and at the East Avenue Medical Center.

In their affidavit, complainants Dr. Ronaldo Asuncion and Dr. Manel Mejia Jr. alleged that Lagamayo violated civil service laws, the Administrative Code of 1987 and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for rendering services at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital and at the Manila Central University Hospital and for maintaining teaching posts at the two schools.

"There is no showing that Dr. Pedro Danilo Lagamayo has been authorized by law to hold multiple positions of employment both within the government and within the private sector at the same time. Neither is there a showing that he secured proper authority from the concerned government agencies to engage in the private practice of his profession while being a public official or employee," the complainants said in their affidavit.

Lagamayo enjoys a salary 23 grade as a Medical Specialist II at the Philippine Heart Center where he has been employed since March 21, 2002. He also has a salary 23 grade also employed as a Medical Specialist II at the East Avenue Medical Center where he has been employed since Jan. 1, 1985.

According to the complainants, Lagamayo served as head of the UST hospital’s Division of Radiological Science from August 1998 to March 2001. He is now the head of the UST hospital’s Division of Radiological Science and is also a medical staff member of the UST hospital’s Division of Radiological Science.

The complainants added that Lagamayo is also serving as a consultant and chairman of the Department of Radiology of the Manila Central University Hospital. Lagamayo is also a faculty member and head of the Radiology Section of the Manila Central University College of Medicine.

"Dr. Pedro Danilo Lagamayo has not shown that he is under any law authorized to receive additional salaries or compensation aside from those received from his government employment. That in engaging simultaneously in public and private employment, it is inconceivable how Dr. Pedro Danilo Lagamayo can devote his time, knowledge and expertise to one office without sacrificing the quality of his work in his other offices to the great and irreparable damage and prejudice of the patients in the hospitals and to the students in the medical schools he is presently employed as above-mentioned," the complainants said.