PHO: video on drug suspect ‘neglected’ in hospital was taken out of context

Tuburan District Hospital /CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The video of a wounded drug suspect allegedly “neglected” by the medical staff of Tuburan District Hospital that is circulated online was taken “completely out of context,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Rene Catan.

Catan, in an interview with CDN Digital, said the attending physician and medical staff of the Emergency Room (ER) followed the protocol in attending to the wounded man, who was shot during an anti-drug operation conducted by the town police and who eventually died in the hospital.

Catan said that based on the investigation that the hospital has conducted, the video was taken on Friday evening, February 8, 2019 after the patient, 23-year-old Gembe Casas, was wounded by operatives of the Tuburan Police Station following a buy-bust operation in Sitio Toong, Barangay Cogon.

“He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and when he arrived at the ER, nitabang ang mga staff. Pero combative na man ang pasyente.  Nag start na man siya og pangluwa so, niatras usa ang mga tawo. Diha na nagvideo nga makita nimo nga walay tawo,” said Catan.

“After the patient calmed down, nibalik ra sad ang mga medical personnel for the first aid. Nagstay pa to siya og almost one hour, awaiting transportation kay gitawgan na ang  Sotto (Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu City) ug ang Balamban. Unfortunately, kay daghan man kaayo siya og injuries, he died,” Catan added.

The video of the patient taken by a hospirtal staff made the rounds on social media and drew criticism for the hospital staff and management due to the alleged negligence.

While Catan said that the protocol in attending to patients was followed, he emphasized that taking a video of the patient and uploading it on social media was wrong, especially that it was a staff of the hospital who allegedly took the video.

Catan said that three personnel of the hospital who were allegedly involved in taking the video, and possibly passing the video to other devices, were already suspended since Saturday, February 9.

Further investigation is still ongoing to determine if the personnel violated hospital rules and the Data Privacy Act of 2012. /elb