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| Distor identified the suspects as Dr. Nelson T. Ong and her daughter, Raisa Nicole C. Ong, a third-year medical student. (Photo from Manila Bulletin) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested in Cebu City a physician and his daughter for allegedly smuggling medicines used for COVID-19 treatment. In a statement, NBI Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Director Eric B. Distor identified the suspects as Dr. Nelson T. Ong and her daughter, Raisa Nicole C. Ong, a third-year medical student.
Seized from them last Sept. 14 were 10 pieces of Tocilizumab vials and 25 boxes of Baricitinib tablets, Distor said. Published clinical trial reports stated that Tocilizumab is “a medicine found to be effective in reducing the mortality rate of severe COVID-19,” while Baricitinib “reduces time to recovery for people hospitalized with COVID-19.” The NBI said the medicines were inside a box that appeared to be imported from India but no local importer or distributor and without the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved labeling and prints.
Director Distor said that last Sept. 14 the NBI-Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO) based in Cebu City received a piece of information that shipment of unregistered and illegally imported Tocilizumab vials placed in a cold storage box is due to arrive from Manila to Cebu via Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight. He said the shipment was reportedly consigned to Raisa Ong, whose name had already cropped up in the intelligence report as one of the active distributors of Tocilizumab.
