The legal representative of a physician responded to a lawmaker who berated the medical professional on social media for criticizing his son.
In a lengthy Facebook post by Rep. Lray Villafuerte (Camarines Sur, Second District) on Monday, October 28, the solon called out a physician for supposedly asking for help after allegedly “bashing” his son, Rep. Migz Villafuerte (Camarines Sur, Fifth District).
The doctor was among those who commented about the viral photo of Migz giving out a P500 bill to an elderly woman trapped in her home surrounded by deep floodwaters due to the rains brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).
“500 talaga? ‘Di man lang pagkain at tubig,” the physician wrote with a facepalm emoji.
Some Filipinos previously shared similar sentiments, thinking that in-kind aid like ready-to-eat food was more crucial since stores where victims could buy provisions might be closed or facing problems due to the weather disturbance.
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Lray defended his son and said that “help is help.”
“P500 pesos is still better than not giving anything and better than what you are doing. You bash, complain about our action, and yet, ang lakas ng luob mo humingi ng tulong by asking free supply of doxycycline,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Mahiya ka naman! Gusto mo pa humingi ng libreng doxycycline sa pharmacy ng provincial health office at ibebenta mo sa mga patients mo through your online consultation! What [you’re] trying to do is unethical and your medical license should be revoked!” the politician added.
Lray included a Facebook conversation that featured a message from the physician, who asked if their pharmacy had doxycycline.
It is a drug used to treat leptospirosis, a bacterial infection transmitted by animals like rodents whose infected urine can mix with floodwaters and enter the body. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, nausea, headaches, and muscle pain.
Meanwhile, an individual answered the doctor and said that they had the drug in their pharmacy.
The doctor replied saying that she would “share” his post.
The politician later used this against the doctor and accused her of “bashing” them.
Doctor’s defense
The doctor’s legal counsel, James Philip Pellosis, took to the comments section to air the doctor’s side and clarify the situation.
The lawyer said the doctor, a Bicolana based in Manila, gave “free online consultation” as her way of helping her fellow Bicolanos during “Kristine.”
“Ang minessage niya po ay simpleng tanong lamang kung may available na gamot. Nang kinumpirma ng taong kausap niya, nirefer niya sa kanyang mga pasyente ang taong kausap niya sa Messenger. Hindi po siya humihingi ng gamot mula sa taong iyon,” Pellosis wrote.
The lawyer then called on the politician to remove the post as it was damaging to the doctor’s reputation.
“Inilalagay siya sa galit ng publiko base sa maling impormasyon na ipinost ninyo. Kung hindi, titingnan po niya ang posibilidad na maghain ng angkop na kaso gaya ng cyber libel,” Pellosis said.
Some Filipinos in Lray’s post similarly pointed out that the doctor did not ask for “free doxycycline” in the supposed private conversation.
“‘Di naman humingi si Dra [doktora], e. Nagtatanong [lang],” a Facebook user wrote.
Another physician who saw the post of the solon reminded Lray of a Supreme Court decision noting that statements against public officers do not constitute oral defamation or slander when it concerns their discharge of official duties.
“The governor should be updated on this October 16 Supreme Court ruling. Public office is subject to criticism. Besides, sharing a private convo [conversation] is very off, and making allegations against the doctor, who’s just helping people, is the one malicious and slanderous,” the physician said.
Bicol Region is among those severely affected by the wrath of “Kristine,” which has left nearly P3 billion worth of agriculture and infrastructure damage in the area.
Officials said the tropical cyclone has left at least 116 individuals dead, 39 individuals missing, and 109 people injured so far.