AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee has filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the alleged hospital detention of relatives of deceased patients or the so-called “palit ulo” and refusal to release death certificates and other relevant medical documents due to unpaid hospital bills.
Lee filed the measure following complaints of arbitrary or illegal detention against Allied Care Experts Medical Center allegedly engaged in the unlawful practice of detaining relatives of deceased patients and refusing to issue death certificate until the hospital bills are fully settled.
Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian earlier ordered an investigation into Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center upon receiving serious complaints that some of the relatives of patients, who died under its care, were held against their will after failing to fully settle their medical bills.
“A hospital is a place where people seek medical attention, and not a place of detention of the patients or any of their relatives. Only a demon can do such crime. Those involved in such (unlawful) act are just adding more burden to the patients and their families,” Lee stressed.
Lee’s resolution cited a case of alleged “palit-ulo” at the medical facility where a certain Richel Mae Alvaro claimed she was barred from leaving the hospital premises due to her husband’s unpaid bills.
Lee quoted Alvaro as saying the facility held her up even after the remains of her husband were already taken out of the hospital.
Alvaro, 26, said her husband was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, located in Barangay Malanday.
The patient died of complications last February 14. They incurred a total of P518,519.37 in hospital bills.
Alvaro said she sought permission from ACE Medical Center officers to go outside, so she could raise the necessary funds, but she was prevented from leaving even just to buy food. She also said she was monitored by security guards at the ICU area, where she stayed for almost three days.
The lawmaker also cited the case of one Lovery Magtangob, 28, who was allegedly ordered to stay at the hospital’s office of the safety officer while waiting for her brother to settle the bills of their relative.
Magtangob said her sister-in-law died of thyroid storm complications in the same hospital.
With a total bill of P777,378 the siblings were unable to pay immediately. Magtangob was also instructed not to leave until they have settled their account.
Magtangob said she was released only after paying a partial payment of their bill.
Lee said hospitals that practice palit-ulo scheme must be held criminally liable for serious illegal detention and minor illegal detention under the Revised Penal Code.
Authorities described the policy as ‘palit ulo’ (exchange heads) in which people, who watch over the patients, were forced to find someone to replace them in the hospital before they were allowed to leave its premises.
The complainants said ACE Medical Center also refused to release the death certificates of their deceased loved ones. The hospital merely issued them provisional death certificates, and were informed that one of the family members should stay at the hospital while the bill was being settled.
Their horrible experiences prompted Alvaro and Magtangob to seek the help of Mayor Gatchalian for the release of the death certificates of their deceased relatives, as well as assistance on the filing of appropriate complaints against the responsible officers and employees of the hospital.
The ACE Medical Center has reportedly submitted its counter-affidavit denying the complaints.