Manila, Philippines—The doctor who allegedly performed plastic surgery on Alvin Flores surfaced Friday at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila, claiming the slain gang leader used an alias when he sought the procedure.

Dominador Pedracio, a licensed cosmetic surgeon and owner of Clinica de Antipolo, showed up at the NBI headquarters in Manila Friday morning on the invitation of the bureau’s deputy director for intelligence services.

His appearance came close on the heels of a raid early Friday afternoon conducted by joint teams of the NBI and the Philippine National Police on a suspected lair of gang members still at large in Plaridel, Bulacan province (See related story on page A2).

The doctor refused to answer questions from the media, insisting that he was there only on the invitation of NBI-DDIS chief and lawyer Ruel Lasala, and that he would talk about the case and show Flores’ medical records only to the official.

“I am used to these kinds of cases,” he said initially. “I am usually summoned by the court for medico-legal matters. This is not unusual, but this matter is quite different because the matter has become sensationalized.”

Virgilio Garcia, a lawyer who accompanied Pedracio, told reporters that his client was not defending himself. “He has nothing to defend himself against. The NBI will just be asking him clarificatory questions,” he pointed out.

Garcia added that the questions would only revolve around the cosmetic surgery procedures done on Flores.

A source in the NBI-DDIS, who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter, told Inquirer that Flores had gone to Clinica de Antipolo for cosmetic surgery on Sept. 30.

The source said that when Flores went there, he used the name “John” and pretended to be gay. Flores also told the doctor that he was referred to the clinic by his cousin, Michael Flores.

Flores said he wanted a nose job, and submitted himself to the procedure. His eyelids were pulled lower so he would appear slant-eyed, and he also wanted dimples.

Previously, Lasala said they wanted Pedracio to tell them how he knew Flores, if he was aware of Flores’ notoriety at the time of the surgery, what kind of surgical procedures were performed, and the purpose of the plastic surgery.

The source told Inquirer that although Pedracio was cooperating with the NBI, he was not yet off the hook. “It depends on his statement and our investigation. We cannot say he is off the hook yet,” he stressed.

Rene Batiencela, a suspected member of the gang who was arrested recently, earlier told the NBI that Flores had undergone surgery to change his appearance and evade arrest.