Valenzuela hospital allegedly detained patients' kin for days over unpaid bills

Illegal detention charges were filed against a private hospital in Valenzuela City after it allegedly detained family members of patients who have yet to settle their medical bills, the local government said on Wednesday.

"'Yung Case No. 1 ito po ay slight illegal detention ang finile. Ang Case No. 2, tatlong araw ang kaniyang detention so it will fall on serious illegal detention," Mayor Wes Gatchalian said in a press conference.

(For Case No. 1, a slight illegal detention charge was filed. For Case No. 2, the victim was detained for three days so it will fall [under] serious illegal detention.)

According to Valenzuela City Police records regarding Case No. 1, complainant Lovery Magtangob said that her sister-in-law, Rhodalyn Santos, was brought to ACE Medical Center - Valenzuela when she experienced vomiting and difficulty breathing on Feb. 22.

On Feb. 26, the patient passed away due to thyroid storm and some complications after being admitted at the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) for four days, the police said. The Mayo Clinic medical website describes a thyroid storm as a sudden and drastic increase in thyroid hormones, which requires immediate emergency care.

Their unsettled hospital bill was P777,378.

A security guard allegedly stopped Magtangob from leaving the hospital. Another guard asked her to stay at the Office of Safety Officer while waiting for her brother and John Christopher Santos, the husband of the deceased patient.

Magtangob was only allowed to leave when they were able to pay a partial payment of P50,000 of the unsettled bill, based on their agreement with the hospital's safety officer.

On March 5, Lovery filed a complaint against four personnel working in the hospital for slight illegal detention before the Valenzuela City Prosecutor's Office.

In Case No. 2, Valenzuela police records showed that complainant Richel Mae Pepito Alvaro said that her husband Michael Alavaro was admitted to the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) on Feb. 5. Due to a complicated illness, he died on Feb. 14.

Their unsettled hospital bill was P518,519.

Richel said she was prevented from leaving the hospital premises, even to buy food.

According to Richel, she was instructed to provide a social case study, but another relative must replace her inside the hospital.

She stayed in the waiting area of the ICU for three days while being monitored by security guards.

The remains of her husband were already taken out of the hospital, but Richel said she was barred from leaving.

"Nasa labas na po 'yung asawa ko. Nakaburol na po siya tapos ako nasa ospital kaya di ako makatulog kakaisip kung anong gagawin ko," Richel said.

(My husband was already out and taken to his wake. I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking of what I should do.)

Two witnesses corroborated Richel's story. During Richel's supposed detention, they were the ones who brought food for her at the hospital, the police reported.

On April 1, Richel filed a complaint against more than four personnel working at the hospital for serious illegal detention before the Valenzuela City Prosecutor's Office.

GMA News Online has sought comment from ACE Medical Center - Valenzuela regarding the matter. The hospital has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

According to a report on 24 Oras on Wednesday, the hospital information desk told a GMA Integrated News team that the safety officer declined to issue a statement.

Meanwhile, the report added that the city government has submitted a request to the Department of Health (DOH) to investigate the matter. — VDV, GMA Integrated News