Raps set vs 2 docs, 3 nurses in lipo death

The police are preparing charges against two doctors and three nurses over the recent death of a 29-year-old businesswoman, after an autopsy confirmed that she died of complications from the three cosmetic surgeries she had on the same day at their Mandaluyong City clinic.

The findings showed that Shiryl Saturnino died of “multiple organ failure secondary to complications” from her March 26 operations at The Icon Clinic on Shaw Boulevard.

Saturnino, a regular client at the clinic, died about an hour after undergoing liposuction and breast and butt surgery procedures.

It will take about a month for the results of her histopathological examination (for signs of disease) to be released. But in an interview on Friday, Senior Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo said complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were already being prepared against surgeon Dr. Samuel Eric Yapjuangco, anesthesiologist Dr. Jose Jovito Mendiola, and nurses Virgil Alec Ongleo, Alvin Carl Genove and Audrey Michelle Santos.

Pedrozo, who heads the special investigation team formed by the Eastern Police District (EPD) for Saturnino’s case, said an administrative complaint for violating Republic Act No. 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959 was also being prepared against the five clinic personnel.

Another possible charge is for obstruction of justice, because the area where Saturnino’s surgeries were done had already been “cleaned” by the time the authorities arrived and this prevented them from knowing the medicines used, according to Pedrozo, the EPD deputy director for operations.

Asked for comment on the impending charges, The Icon Clinic management said it was still preparing a statement at press time.

Earlier this week, the Mandaluyong City government ordered the clinic closed after finding out that two different companies were registered as the owners of the establishment—The Managed Care Philippines Inc. and The Icon Clinic.

Jimmy Isidro, the public information office head, said that while The Icon Clinic had the necessary business permits and paid its taxes, it didn’t have a permit from the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct ambulatory surgical services. It merely had a memorandum of understanding with Managed Care as basis for such operations, he noted.

Pedrozo said having an agreement between the two health facilities was not enough since the clinic must still be accredited by the DOH. The EPD official also pointed out that only consultations were allowed at the clinic.