WellMed owner released after six days in NBI custody

MANILA, Philippines— The National Bureau of Investigation on Sunday released Bryan Christopher Sy, one of the owners of controversial WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center, after holding him for six days.

Sy was accused of estafa and falsification of private documents along with two whistleblowers Liezel Aileen de Leon and Edwin Roberto, a former WellMed employee.  

The Department of Justice recommended bail bonds of P72,000 per count of their estafa charge or a total of P1.2 million for each of them.

READ: WellMed owner, 2 others face 17 counts of estafa

On Saturday, Sy posted a personal cash bail of P72,000 before Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 6 Judge Jerome ordered his release.

"Accused, having posted cash in the said amount, under OR No. 6343449 dated June 15, 2019, it is hereby ordered released from detention unless he is being held for some other lawful cause,” the ruling read.

Sy’s lawyer reportedly claimed that the NBI refused to release his client despite the court order since there was no director to formalize and sign the release.

He was arrested on June 10 as the NBI was conducting a probe into the alleged use of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. funds to pay for non-existent kidney treatments.

Fraudulent PhilHealth claims

Roberto and De Leon earlier claimed WellMed made P800,000 in fraudulent PhilHealth claims from 2016 to 2018.

On Friday, Sy’s camp asked Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and NBI Director Dante Gierran to release him from detention, saying no case was filed against his client even if the reglementary period had lapsed. 

Under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code, authorities can only detain a suspect for 36 hours without filing any charge in court. —Rosette Adel

RELATED: WellMed owner runs to Guevarra to ask for release from custody