“Shocking” Underground Trade In Health Practice Uncovered In Baguio

June 3, 2012

by Artemio A. Dumlao

Dangerous Drugs (File Photo)

BAGUIO CITY (June 2, 2012) – A total of P353,200.00 worth of dangerous drugs were seized by anti-narcotics agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera from four traffickers late Friday unmasking an underground trade in the health practice in the country.

In separate sting operations, PDEA agents cornered the four, who Director Gil Castro of the PDEA-CAR said “are members of the medical drug syndicate”, including a younger sister of a medical doctor at the state-run Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

The syndicate members fell one by one, Castro said, citing Annie Pasking Akhtar, 35, a Filipina married to a Pakistani, was booked at around 4PM Friday after she sold 2,940 tablets in 294 blister packs of Diazepam with brand name, “Valium”, to an undercover anti-drug agent just outside a university along Bonifacio Street here.

Akhtar, a bachelor’s degree holder in Computer Science, a medicine distributor and a co-owner of a pharmacy in La Trinidad, Benguet, was selling P147,000.00 worth of Valium in the black market.

Before Akhtar, around 7:30 in the morning, brother-sister tandem Mark Joseph Florendo and Milagrosa Florendo Miran were busted at a fast food chain beside Rizal Monument after selling 230 blister packs of 2,300 Valium tablets worth P115,000.00 and one hundred ampules of “Nubain” valued at P30,000.00 to another anti-drug agent.

Nubain is a well-known brand of Nalbuphine Hydrochloride, classified as dangerous drug in the country just last year, Dir. Castro said.

Florendo, 23, single, is a nurse but is presently an ‘express padala’ store clerk; while Miran, 31, a Bachelor of Elementary Education graduate, but a pharmacy clerk, both from Binmaley, Pangasinan.

About four hours after Florendo and Miran were cornered, 75 ampules of “Dormicum” and 79 Nubain ampules valued at P37,500.00 and P23,700.00 respectively, were seized from Flerida N. Pel-ey in another sting operation in front of another fast food chain along AZKCO (Abanao-Zandueta-Kayang-Chugum-Otek) barangay.

Pel-ey, 27, a Commerce graduate and native of Bontoc, Mountain Province is a younger sister of an anesthesiologist at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Castro said they found out that Pel-ey serves as her older sibling’s “courier” to her clients in the illegal drug business.

The medical doctor has a PDEA (S2) license to prescribe and administer dangerous drugs, but Director Castro said, “under the Prescription Limits and Prescribing Guidelines given upon issuance of her S2 identification card, the doctor is not supposed to be storing or carrying dangerous drugs.”

PDEA said they also found out that the supplies of Florendo and Miran of Nuvain and Valium come from Akhtar and Pel-ey.

AKhtar and Pel-ey are being charged for violating Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) of Republic Act 9165 while Florendo and Miran also from the same drug law violation particularly, Section 26b (Conspiracy to Sell Dangerous Drugs).

Dir. Castro vows he will ask state prosecutors to summon the physician to answer in court her violations.

“High Level Illegal Drug Trade Among Physicians?”

PDEA claims that a bigtime, high-level modus operandi in the illegal drug trade involving PDEA-licensed medical doctors is now prevalent.

The “operandi” usually turns when doctors prescribe more than their clients need, then subsequently and surreptitiously keeps or saves the excess of the dangerous drugs purchased by the patient from an equally PDEA-(S) licensed pharmaceutical company, Dir. Castro explains.

The doctor may then either sell such to another unsuspecting patient; tell to a prospect-buyer-patient that another patient is selling such thru him/her, or collect or save all excess and consequently sell such in bulk to a contact-drugstore.

The PDEA added that in worst cases, some doctors keep or save the dangerous drugs that were not administered to or used by their patients who died of cancer. Still, some doctors even go to the extent of applying bleach or cuticle remover on the packagings or containers of the dangerous drugs just to erase hospital markings.

Valium is mainly used to treat anxiety, insomnia and symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal. It is also used as a pre-medication for inducing sedation before certain medical procedures. In veterinary medicine, it is being used as a short-term sedative. Valium can lead to drug abuse and psychological dependence or drug addiction, and consequently to sleepiness, impaired motor functions, amnesia, suicidal tendencies or acts, coma and many others.

Meanwhile, Nubain is widely used to cure moderate to severe pain. But it has been found to have serious side effects, necessitating it to be administered only by a trained medical practitioner aptly licensed by the PDEA. When used indiscriminately, the drug has the capacity to produce dependence. In fact, according to the Dangerous Drug Board’s admission reports, it is one of the most commonly encountered drugs of abuse by victims seeking treatment and rehabilitation in various rehab centers.
There have also been numerous reports of abuse of the drug in many major cities in the country.

Moreover, the abuse of Nalbuphine Hydrochloride, which is an injectable drug, with the concomitant practice of needle sharing, constitutes serious public health and social problems, like the occurrence and spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and hepatitis.

Dormicum, on the other hand, is used for treatment of acute seizures, moderate to severe insomnia, and for inducing sedation and amnesia before medical procedures. Administration of Midazolam by the intranasal or the buccal route (absorption via the gums and cheek) is becoming increasingly popular for the emergency treatment of seizures in children. It is also used for endoscopy procedural sedation and sedation in intensive care. Its drawbacks include drug interactions, tolerance, and withdrawal syndrome, as well as adverse events including cognitive impairment and sedation. Paradoxical effects occasionally occur, most commonly in children and the elderly, particularly after intravenous administration.

Rumour has it that overdosed Dormicum caused Michael Jackson’s death.***Artemio A. Dumlao***