NBI arrests 4 individuals for illegal sale of remdesivir

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested four people for the illegal sale of around P2 million worth of remdesivir, an experimental drug for the treatment of COVID-19.

The NBI identified the suspects as Maria Christina Manaig, Christopher Boydon, Philip Bales, and Bernard Tommy Bunyi.

NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor said the suspects were arrested after the agency received information about the “rampant” selling of remdesivir online.

The drug has no certificate of product registration in the Philippines, thus it cannot be sold commercially.

The use of remdesivir was allowed through a compassionate special permit (CSP) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A CSP can only be requested by physicians in charge or by the institution where patients are being treated, who shall take full responsibility for the use and dispensing of remdesivir.

Distor said the NBI Special Task Force was able to communicate with the suspects and ordered from them a vial each of the drug for the price of P4,500 and P5,000, respectively.

After this, the NBI-STF on Tuesday conducted simultaneous entrapment operations, which resulted in the arrest of Manaig, Boydon, and Bales on West Avenue, Quezon City and Bunyi on Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

The suspects underwent inquest proceedings before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 and the Philippine Pharmacy Act.—AOL, GMA News