Senator Raffy Tulfo has questioned the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) over its slow action on complaints involving doctors accused of medical malpractice.
During the Senate budget hearing for the Department of Labor and Employment and its attached agencies, Tulfo raised the case of a patient who reportedly died in 2017 after undergoing several medical procedures.
The senator said the doctor involved was not placed under preventive suspension and was later linked to another similar incident that also reportedly resulted in a patient’s death.
“Ilang pasyente pa ba ang hinihintay na mamatay ng PRC? Sampu? Sandaan? Para lang umaksyon,” Tulfo said.
PRC Chairperson Charito Zamora said the 2017 complaint was filed with the Board of Medicine in 2021 and remains at the board level.
Tulfo questioned why it took years for the case to move forward.
The senator said the PRC should have conducted a motu proprio investigation when the first incident was reported and considered preventive suspension against the doctor.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino later assured Tulfo that he would immediately form a fact-finding team to look into the matter.
The team will also investigate the clinic linked to the reported medical malpractice and determine if there are people who should be held accountable.IMT
