Angeles City Mayor Pogi Lazatin with chief adviser IC Calaguas checking on the Chinese pharmacy. suspects in Barangay Anunas, Angeles City. – Photos courtesy of Angeles City CIO
ANGELES CITY — Exactly nine days after a makeshift pharmacy and hospital exclusive to Chinese patients was raided by police and health authorities at the Fontana Leisure Park in the Clark Freeport, a similar facility was discovered in a raid Thursday in Angeles City.
Joint operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Food and Drug Administration and the police swooped down on a three-bed makeshift health facility after an entrapment operation was conducted against the owner of a pharmacy situated along Volga Street, Barangay Anunas here.
A 66-year–old Chinese physician and his son, whose identities were withheld for further verification, were arrested in the entrapment operation, said Atty. Marvin De Jemil, executive officer of NBI–Central Luzon.
De Jemil said Bao An Tang Chinese drugstore has been operating for over a year now operated without the necessary permits from concerned government agencies including the FDA. It sold medicines to Chinese and Filipino customers, he added.
NBI supervising agent Atty. Archie Albao said his team coordinated with the FDA after they acquired Chinese-labelled medicines from Bao An Tang pharmacy which is situated across the road from the makeshift clinic that was raided.
The raid was conducted on the strength of post marketing inspection, a visitorial power of FDA against erring stores and establishments selling imported products including medicines, medical supplies and liquor.
Albao reported that “a huge volume” of Chinese–labelled medicines and medical supplies and equipment worth millions of pesos were found at the 20–squaremeter floor pharmacy and at the makeshift clinic.
He said that the FDA is set to file the necessary charges against the Chinese who are presently under the custody of NBI in City of San Fernando.
Last May 19, joint operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, the FDA and representatives of the Clark Development Corp. raided a villa at the Fontana Leisure Park inside Clark Freeport where they discovered a makeshift hospital reportedly catering to Chinese Covid-19 patients.
Two Chinese nationals identified as Mr. Ling Hu, 45, the alleged owner; and pharmacist Seung-Hyun Lee, 38, were arrested but were released on the same day without any charges filed against them.
The CDC ordered a lock down on Fontana even as its assistant general manager Simon Wu denied any involvement in any illegal activities, saying the villas are operated by the Shidaikeji Technology Corp., not Fontana.
Government law enforcement agents subsequently raided a warehouse at PhilExcel at the freepot also where medical supplies and medicines intended for Chinese clinics and hospital were stockpiled.
