No PRC ruling yet on suspension of Hayden Kho's license

MANILA, Philippines - A Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) official clarified yesterday that controversial cosmetic surgeon Hayden Kho Jr. could keep his medical license for the meantime since the agency is unlikely to come out with a ruling on the immorality case filed against the doctor any time soon.

Lawyer Pharson Mamalo, chief of the PRC legal division, said the commission’s medical board has no decision yet on the complaint filed by actress Katrina Halili against Kho in connection with the sex video of the two that was circulated on the Internet.

“The Medical Board will decide on the case, but at this time we have no idea when they will come out with the resolution,” Mamalo said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of charges against Kho at the Pasig City Regional Trial Court for violation of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (Republic Act 9262).

The prosecutors denied Kho’s claim that the video was not intended for public viewing.

They pointed out that Kho violated the law when he videotaped his intimate moments with Halili without her knowledge or consent.

The prosecution panel, however, cleared popular cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo along with Eric Johnston Chua, Mark Herbert “Bistek” Rosario and Princess Velasco of the charges for insufficiency of evidence.

In her complaint, Halili accused Belo and the three other respondents of conspiring to make public the sex video and posting it on the Internet.

Although Belo, Chua, Rosario and Velasco knew of the existence of the sex video, the prosecutors said their silence or failure to inform the authorities does not make them accessories to the crime.

Halili and Kho submitted their position papers before the PRC’s medical board last month.

Mamalo said that the medical board could render a decision and penalty ranging from suspension to revocation of the professional license of Kho once he is found guilty of violating the Medical Act.

He said that sufficient evidence must be presented before the PRC can take the necessary action against Kho. The sex video uploaded on the Internet can be used as evidence, he added. 

Mamalo said among the grounds for revocation of medical license are immoral, unethical, unprofessional and dishonorable conduct.

In a complaint filed before the PRC, Halili sought the revocation of Kho’s medical license for taking a video of their sexual liaison without her consent and uploading the photos on the Internet. 

Mamalo said Kho might elevate the case before the Court of Appeals and even before the Supreme Court if the decision of the board is not in his favor.

The accusations against Kho also prompted the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) to investigate Kho and eventually suspend him from medical practice for one year.

Kho admitted filming the sexual encounters but denied uploading the videos, accusing Chua, Rosario and Velasco of making copies from his laptop computer.

Prosecutors noted Kho had admitted his laptop computer also contained videos of his sexual encounters with other women.

NBI probe continues

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday said the second phase of the investigation into the sex video of Kho and Halili will continue and investigators would be able to identify the people who uploaded the video on the Internet.

NBI director Nestor Mantaring told a press conference held at the NBI headquarters in Manila that the probe would now focus on how to identify the persons who uploaded the videos.

“We read (in the newspapers) that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the indictment of Kho in the complaint filed by Halili based on the report and investigation of the NBI,” said Mantaring.

Mantaring said this (identification of suspects) would take time because the NBI is still waiting for information from their counterparts in the United States to get the Internet Protocol address and identify the user of this IP address.

Mantaring said the dismissal of charges against Kho’s co-accused would not affect their probe on the uploading of the videos to the Internet.

He cited a directive from the DOJ to continue the inquiry against Belo, Kho, Chua, Rosario, and Velasco for alleged liability in the uploading of the sex videos. – With Sandy Araneta