Health group seeks revocation of Badoy's license over alleged red-tagging

A group of healthcare workers on Monday lodged a complaint with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in which they sought the revocation of anti-communist task force spokesperson Lorraine T. Badoy's physician's license for allegedly red-tagging their members and officers.

The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) claimed Badoy violated her oath and code of ethics after she linked the group to the communist armed movement.

“Nakakalungkot na isa siyang doktor, may sinumpaan syang tungkulin… ito sinisiraan niya ang mga legit na groups at iba-ibang pang personalities na nasa healthcare sector,” AHW President Robert Mendoza told reporters in an ambush interview.

(It’s disheartening because she’s a doctor. She took an oath and yet, she is slandering the legitimate groups and personalities in the healthcare sector.)

It is the first complaint the alliance filed at the PRC against the government official. They warned, however, that at least four more cases were set to be lodged by their members at the commission.

The AHW also trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman last week to file administrative and criminal complaints against Badoy for the same reason.

To recall, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson claimed in a news item published in the Philippine News Agency on April 7, 2021, that the AHW was among the organizations created by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF) “precisely for the infiltration of the government.”

Badoy claimed then that the AHW “have infiltrated the Philippine Orthopedic Center, UP PGH (University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital), Lung Center, Kidney Institute, regional/provincial hospitals all the way down to the barangay levels.”

She also alleged that the underground organization of the AHW was the Makabayang Samahang Pangkalusugan (MASAPA).

Filipino Nurses United President Maristela Abenojar, who joined AHW in filing the complaint at the PRC, blasted Badoy saying her accusations were “wrong and unethical”.

She further stressed that red-tagging discouraged medical professionals from serving the marginalized thus robbing poor Filipinos of access to quality health services.

“Ang ginawang red-tagging ni Usec. Badoy ay mapanganib dahil hindi ito nakakahikayat para sa mga nurses at ibang health professionals na maglingkod community at magsilbi sa mga marginalized health sector,” Abenojar said.

(Badoy's red-tagging is dangerous because it discourages nurses and other health professionals from serving the community and the marginalized health sector.)

“Ang dine-deprive niya ang mga mamayang Pilipino na magkaroon ng access sa isang maayos at kalidad na serbisyong pangkalusugan,” she added.

(She’s depriving Filipinos of access to quality healthcare services.)

GMA News sought comment from Badoy but she has yet to respond as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News