Authorities seized hundreds of boxes of illegal or unregistered medicines and medical supplies for COVID-19 patients after an arrested Chinese doctor lead the police to his storage unit and two more clinics in Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque City.
Among those seized at Yumei Liang’s house were medicines against other diseases such as STDs and HIV-AIDS.
The Business Permit and Licensing Office and City Health Office of Parañaque raided a Chinese hospital operated by Yumie at Lt. Garcia Street corner Airport Road in Barangay Baclaran due to its lack of required permits.
During the interrogation, Yumei also admitted to Mayor Edwin Olivarez that he still has a medicine stockroom, in a separate apartment, just a few meters away from the raided clinic this Sunday in Barangay Baclaran.
The mayor and city health office officials found that a large number of medicines were stored, including those for sexually transmitted diseases, herbal supplements, and non-prescription drugs against flu and respiratory illness.
Some of the injectable anti-COVID-19 medicines are being sold, while no approved COVID-19 drugs or vaccines were released in the market worldwide.
Olivarez said they discovered two more illegal Chinese clinics inside Yumei’s rented house with complete equipment such as medical beds, IV stands, and chairs.
Another Chinese doctor at Yumei’s clinic admitted that they only treated Chinese nationals.
Yumei also admitted that smuggled medicines from China were delivered by a Filipino courier connected to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The City Health Office seized at least three trucks of unregistered COVID-19 medicines and supplies.
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On March 24, the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested a father and son for selling fake COVID-19 medicine online.
PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group in a joint operation with Police Regional Office 4-A and Northern Police District at Navotas City identified the suspects as Ismael Aviso and Ismael Aviso, Jr.
Region 4-A’s Anti-Cybercrime Unit received a report on March 20 that the suspects made claims on social media that they have medicines for curing COVID-19.
PNP-ACG said that charges of estafa and libel will be filed against the suspects, who are now under the custody of NPD.
As of this posting, the virus has infected 3,129,929 and killed 217,117 people worldwide. There is no available cure yet for COVID-19, but vaccines are being developed.