New judge handles case vs hospital

CEBU, Philippines - A new judge shall handle the P5.2-million damage suit filed by a prominent couple from Cebu City against Chong Hua Hospital for the hospital’s alleged negligence in treating and handling their baby.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ma.Lynna Adviento Branch 58 is the new presiding judge over the civil case for damages and specific performance filed by spouses Wesley and Laurice Chiongbian against Chong Hua Hospital on May 22.

This after Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya of RTC Branch 5 voluntarily inhibited from handling the case “where his impartiality and integrity might be reasonably questioned.”

Macabaya has said that his wife is actively involved in the policy-making of Chong Hua Hospital being its consultant.

Macabaya’s wife is specializing in Internal Medicine and is also an Infectious Disease subspecialist. She is also the chairperson of the hospital’s Prevention and Control of Infection Service.

Executive Judge Soliver Peras approved Macabaya’s inhibition and ordered the raffling of the case.

The damage lawsuit was re-raffled on Monday afternoon and was raffled to Adviento’s sala.

The Chongbian couple lamented that the improper insertion of the IV port by the hospital personnel into their daughter caused severe swelling that left permanent scars on the baby’s hand.

The couple cited in their complaint that no hospital administrator or official came to see them to ensure that their daughter’s wound was being properly treated during the time the latter’s third-degree burn was discovered.

The couple is also asking the hospital management for a public apology or an extensive tri-media public awareness campaign to make the public aware of the risk of IV insertion and warning signs of pain from IV ports, particularly in neonates.— (FREEMAN)