DOJ going after GMA’s doctor

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is going after the stem cell doctor of detained former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for reportedly continuing her alternative medicine practice despite facing murder and syndicated estafa cases.

De Lima has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to verify reports that Antonia Carandang-Park was able to post bail in the supposedly non-bailable cases and is still discreetly accepting patients.

De Lima also tapped the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to check on the status of the cases against Park filed by the parents of Kate Tan, a cancer patient who died in 2013 after treatment by the alternative medicine doctor.

De Lima tasked the NBI and NPS to submit their report to her office within 20 days.

De Lima’s order stemmed from an online petition, “Justice for Kate” initiated by the victim’s father Bernard in the popular website Change.org.

Bernard said they lodged a string of criminal complaints against Park for misrepresenting herself as a “miracle doctor” who promised to treat Tan’s cancer through alternative medicine.

He recalled bringing his ailing daughter to Park’s clinic in Tagaytay City and paying P36,000 to P40,000 per week after they were assured by the doctor that Tan would be cancer free after three months.

Tan, who had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, was reportedly given the same treatment that had been administered to Arroyo, which included juicing diet, vegetable diet, acupuncture, coffee enema and stem cell.

Despite the treatment, Tan lost her bout with cancer on July 4, 2013.

They soon learned that Park “does not appear in the registry of authorized physicians to practice medicine in the Philippines.” This prompted them to file criminal charges against Park.

Park was then charged in court with murder, syndicated estafa and illegal practice. Bernard lamented the eight counts of estafa were reduced to only one.

Following the posting of bail, Bernard sounded alarm bells that Park had discreetly started accepting patients again for her stem cell treatment.

Bernard appealed to the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) to seek the help of the NBI to go after Park.

The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) had warned that the success of stem cell therapy has yet to be proven, since the procedure in some other conditions is still in the experimental stage.

The PCP also countered claims that stem cell treatment effectively deters aging.

The group also said the treatment should be given only by trained professionals in accredited facilities.