Kho may lose medical license

MANILA, Philippines - After getting a one-year suspension from medical practice, controversial celebrity Dr. Hayden Kho may soon lose his medical license entirely.

Lawyer Pharson Mamalo, Professional Regulation Commission legal division chief, said the PRC’s medical board will soon come out with the decision on Kho’s case.

“The two parties (Kho and actress Katrina Halili) were given until Monday (Sept.7) to submit their position papers and after that the case would be submitted for decision,” Mamalo said.

Earlier, he said the medical board has the authority to revoke Kho’s professional license once it is proven that he indeed violated the Medical Act.

But Mamalo said sufficient evidence must be presented before the PRC can take action, and the sex video of Kho and Halili uploaded on the Internet can be used as evidence. 

He said that among the grounds for revocation of medical license is immorality, 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 in the Internet. 

Mamalo said Kho may elevate the case before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court if the decision of the board is against his favor.

Slap on the wrist

Meanwhile, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. is asking the Philippine Medical Association to explain its decision to merely suspend Kho for one year despite finding Kho responsible for making over 40 videos of his sexual encounters without the consent of his partners, some of whom were his patients.

He expressed disappointment over the ruling and said the PMA must explain its reasons for allowing Kho to get away with a mere slap on the wrist.

“A one-year suspension means that Kho was penalized only nine days for every video he took. This is absurd.  What the PMA is saying is that a doctor can do such a foul act and get away with it. They’re saying what Kho did was okay,” Revilla said.

He also said it would be “very unacceptable” for the PRC not to revoke Kho’s license.

He said anything less than the revocation of Kho’s license would prompt him to ask that the PRC’s budget be reduced to P1 next year.