Arroyo ‘doctor’ arrested after court hearing in Tagaytay for estafa

SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna—A wellness center operator, who had administered the stem cell therapy on former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, had been arrested outside a regional trial court branch in Tagaytay City where she had just attended a court hearing for an estafa case.

Antonia Park, an alternative medicine practitioner, was arrested by members of the Tagaytay City police around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, her counsel, Stephen Cascolan, had said in a phone interview.

Park, who owns and operates the Green and Young Health and Wellness Center in Tagaytay City, has just pleaded not guilty during an arraignment for another estafa case in relation to her alternative medicine practice.

In 2014, Park was charged with homicide for the death of former patient and Ateneo student Katherine Grace Tan. The case was dismissed just “a week ago,” Cascolan said.

Senior Supt. Jonnel Estomo, Cavite police director, in a text message, had confirmed the arrest and said Park was taken into police custody.

Estomo, however, did not comment on Cascolan’s claim that the police used “excessive force” when they arrested Park.

“There were no less than 10 of them (policemen). The arresting officer, this certain Dimaculangan, did not properly introduce himself and only handed us a photocopy of the warrant. He used excessive force, pulled her and (as a result, Park) sustained bruises on the wrists, on her side and ankle,” Cascolan said.

According to a copy of the warrant presented to them, Cascolan said his client was charged with a new case of estafa, which they did “not know about.”

He claimed the case was filed at Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 222 in 2009 and that the arrest warrant had “already expired.”

“(Park) is 44 and suffers from mild hypertension,” Cascolan said.

He said they had requested the police to release Park temporarily for a medical checkup but the police refused them. SM