NBI, Immigration to join hunt for ‘underground’ medical clinics
MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said he would order the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to join in hunting down clandestine clinics catering to Chinese suspected of having COVID-19.
Since the last week of April, authorities have dismantled three underground clinics that treated Chinese COVID-patients.
“It seems that clandestine medical clinics catering mostly to foreign nationals have sprouted and have been operating without proper authority. Considering that they are not being supervised by the government, it is possible that the health of people who seek treatment in these illegal facilities is being compromised,” Guevarra said.
“I will, therefore, ask the NBI and the BI to help the police in locating other similar underground clinics and the people running them, and if warranted, to file the appropriate charges against them,” he added.
During the last week of April, an underground clinic was raided by the police in Parañaque City. The clinic allegedly caters to the Chinese suspected of infected with COVID-19.
This month, two more clinics have been discovered in Pampanga and Makati.
The clinics are reportedly operating without a business permit.
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