Immediate release of WellMed co-owner sought

MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer for WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Corporation (WellMed) on Friday demanded before the Department of Justice (DOJ) the immediate release of one of its owners, Dr. Bryan Christopher Sy.

In a letter dated June 13, lawyer Kristian Vicente Gargantiel told the DOJ as well as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that Sy did not waive his right under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

A waiver means that a respondent in a case is waiving his right to file a lawsuit against the NBI for detention despite the lapse of the deadline set under the law.

Under the RPC, the authorities have a maximum of 36 hours to detain a suspect arrested without a warrant, absent of any case filed in court.

“Up to this date, despite the lapse of 36-hour period under Article 125 of the RPC, no information nor complaint has been filed with the proper judicial authorities against Mr. Sy,” Gargantiel said in his letter.

“In view of the foregoing, we respectfully deemed for the immediate release of Mr. Sy for there is no ground, under any laws, rules or regulations, for his continued detention,” the letter further stated.

Sy went to the NBI last Monday in response to a subpoena for an investigation on “ghost” claims to Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). However, the NBI took Sy under custody and slapped him with a complaint for violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) or Estafa and Falsification of Documents under Article 172 also of RPC.

READ: NBI arrests WellMed owner over ghost dialysis issue

READ: Manila court denies WellMed owner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus

The case is still pending. (Editor: Eden Estopace)