The National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday announced the arrest of seven people by the NBI-Special Task Force on Dec. 7, for the unauthorized selling of government medicines intended for patients under Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients.
NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor identified the suspects as Aliza Macalambos, Jen Tubongbanua, Clarita Selga, Maria Fe Nisnisan Quimno, Emilda Besmonte, Norhata Batua and Virginia dela Cruz.
Distor said the operation stemmed from a letter of request for investigation sent by the National Kidney and Transplant Institute on the unauthorized selling of medicines intended for the poor patients under the MAIP of the Department of Health.
The NKTI said that, being an implementing agency for the MAIP program, it was bound to protect government resources and property against individuals who unlawfully enrich themselves by depriving indigent patients of the medicine intended for them.
Distor directed the NBI-STF to conduct an investigation and set counteraction measures against all individuals engaged in the unauthorized selling of health products and medicines.
The NBI-STF conducted a surveillance and test-buy operation that resulted in the procurement of several medicines used by patients with kidney disease such as Epoetin Alfa (Pronivel) and Renvela, all medicines used by patients with kidney disease, from Macalambos.
The NBI-STF then planned a buy-bust operation and again contacted Macalambos to order Epokine, Renvela and other medicines used by patients for their dialysis.
On Dec. 7, 2020, NBI-STF proceeded to the agreed meeting place and met Macalambos and Tubongbanua, who was later accompanied by Selga, Quimno, Besmonte, Batua and Dela Cruz.
Upon completion of the transaction, the suspects were arrested.
The NKTI certified that some of the medicines recovered from the subjects were part of the inventory of their pharmacy.
The NBI-STF will be conducting a follow-up investigation to dig deeper and find the people responsible for the unauthorized selling of medicine intended for indigent patients.