Marañon suspends prov'l hospital chief

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The chief of provincial hospital in Negros Occidental was preventively suspended for 60 days by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. while the hearing for administrative charges against her for alleged grave misconduct is going on.

Doctor Ma. Estrella Ledesma, chief of the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City, was suspended starting August 5, according to Provincial Legal Officer Jose Ma. Valencia, also Marañon’s chief of staff.

Ledesma’s suspension was served “so that a fair trial would be conducted and to avoid any influence on the witnesses who are also workers of the hospital,” Valencia said.

Earlier, the Office of the Ombudsman filed before the Regional Trial Court of Silay City a criminal case against Ledesma for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Both criminal and administrative charges against her stemmed from an alleged child abuse on July 1, 2005 at the then Jose C. Locsin Memorial Hospital (now TLJPH).

Ledesma, while at the Jose C. Locsin Memorial Hospital, allegedly “willfully, unlawfully and feloniously abused” a 2-year-old boy (name withheld) “by hitting him, locking him up in a comfort room and while continuously spanking him with her sandals, uttered abusive and scandalous words against the child.”

Valencia said the filing of the administrative case against Ledesma is based on the go-signal from the Ombudsman after it filed a criminal case only. “What happened is that we presumed that the Ombudsman took cognizance of both criminal and administrative charges,” he said.

“It was only when the resolution of the Ombudsman that filed the criminal case that we knew that they have not included the administrative charges and that the Ombudsman said the province should pursue the administrative complaint. In compliance with that, we formalized the administrative case,” Valencia said.

Ledesma did not issue any comment when asked by the media on the charges against her.

Valencia said Ledesma told him she is set to be arraigned on the criminal case on August 25, and that mediation process is also set to be held for any possible settlement between the complainant and the respondent.

Doctor Girlie Pinongan from the Cadiz City District Hospital is now the officer in charge of TLJPH. - THE FREEMAN