DDB chair says stem-cell therapy made him 'weaker'

MANILA, Philippines - Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Antonio Villar paid EU 15,000 or P846,000 to undergo a stem-cell treatment by a German doctor from Thailand.

Villar, however, believes the procedure has failed in making him healthier and more agile as he hoped.

"Pagkatapos nun, ang lakas ng loob ko, naniniwala ako na (lumakas) ako. Naglakad ako sabay sumakit ang paa ko. Lalong lumala, sabi ko, medyo nanghina ako. Dati nakakalakad ako ng malayo-layo," he admitted in a radio interview Thursday.

Villar added that his wife, who suffers from diabetes, was neither cured by the stem-cell therapy and even started to take more medications.

"Si misis diabetic kasi. (Ngayon) halu-halo na ang tinutusok na gamot. Hindi rin nawala 'yung diabetes. Ako pa ang sinisisi," he said.

Villar recounted that with them in July last year were 12 to 15 other people who received the stem-cell approach from the German doctor and his assistant held in the upscale EDSA Shangri-la Hotel where they paid an additional EU P1,000 or P56,000 for the venue.

"Kasi nababalitaan ko na maganda itong stem cell. E ako'y madalas na nanghihina sa buto ko, siguro nanghihina 'yung mga buto ko at medyo mahina 'yung katawan ko kaya sinubukan ko 'to," he said.

Earlier, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said it will investigate on the death of three politicians, two of whom were later identified as Bohol Rep. Enrico Aumentado at Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo, allegedly owing to stem-cell treatment.

Related story: Probe set for death of 3 politicians due to stem-cell therapy

PMA president Leo Olarte said that the politicians likely developed a graft-versus-host complication similar to an allergy that took their lives.