Police nab ‘doctor’, live-in partner for selling overpriced medical gear

Photos from PNP

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have arrested a woman posing as a doctor and her live-in partner in Cavite province for selling overpriced and unregistered thermal gun scanners and surgical masks made in China.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) identified the suspects as Tristan Joy Calip, 35, an event host/organizer and a business process outsourcing (BPO) analyst; and Jefferson Castillo, 36, a driver. They were collared on Sunday afternoon selling 20 boxes of China-made medical infrared forehead thermometers at P4,500 apiece and 21 boxes of disposable face masks at P1,500 per box or P113,000 total.

Police said the thermal gun scanners were unregistered as the units do not have ICC stickers.

Police also found Calip to be falsely representing herself as a medical doctor, as they seized an official receipt, bearing Talip’s name as “Dr. Tristan Joy Calip.”

Other items confiscated from the suspects were boxes containing similar medical equipment, a sticker from the Highway Patrol Group, and a printed sign that reads “Medical Supplies, Do Not Delay.”

The suspects are facing charges for violation of Section 5(2) of Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, RA 7394 or the Consumer Act; and RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, all in relation to Section 6 of RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act, police said.

KGA