NBI to subpoena 3 doctors allegedly involved in illegal kidneys for sale

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) believes no licensed doctors are part of the illegal selling of kidneys even as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to subpoena three doctors allegedly involved in the crime.

 According to Maki Pulido's Thursday report on 24 Oras, the PMA said it is ready to conduct its own investigation as it is not convinced that they have doctors taking part in the illegal practice.

PMA President Dr. Hector Santos said it may be the doctor who diagnosed and advised what the patient needs for a transplant surgery but he does not believe that the doctor will sell or buy a kidney for the patient.

"Hindi kasi doktor ang nagpro-procure ng organ, iche-check na lang kung prini-sent na ng pasyente ito yung organ donor. Ang itatanong kadalasan, dumaan ho ba ito sa Department of Health, meron silang organ program e," Santos explained.

(It is not a doctor who procures the organ, they check if the patient has presented the donor. The question most asked is whether it went through the Department  of Health, as they have an organ program.)

Santos said the PMA is prepared to conduct its own investigation but said there is currently no basis for it as the NBI has not even named who the doctors are. 

According to Santos, should there be evidence against the doctors, they may be sanctioned by the PMA’s ethics committee, with the heaviest penalty being a recommendation to suspend the doctors’ medical license.

"Hindi maaring motu propio mag-iimbestiga kami ng walang pangalan or galing sa third party hearsay, kailangang meron siyang pruweba, we can’t do a witch hunt," Santos said. 

(We cannot investigate motu propio without a name or from third-party hearsay, we must have proof, and we can't do a witch hunt.) 

Moreover, the Philippine Society of Nephrology said it was surprised by the news.

"The PSN does not condone the illegal practice of organ trafficking. We have always advocated ethical practice in kidney transplantation. We have to admit some things in past that happened and historically meron namang na-prove before pero nahinto na (it was proven before but has since stopped) because the PSN is very strong together with our training institutions on the proper procurement of our organs," said Dr. Agnes Cruz, a PSN Board of Trustee. 

The NBI is now completing all the necessary information before serving the subpoena to the three doctors. 

A staff nurse at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is alleged to be the leader of the organ trafficking syndicate that was raided in Bulacan. 

The NKTI had previously said that the unit of the said nurse had nothing to do with the kidney transplants and that he had no direct access to the patients. 

NKTI officials have spoken to the nurse who denied the allegations. 

The said nurse has not yet reported to work. NKTI said he had a day off yesterday and is on emergency leave today. —Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News