MANILA, Philippines — Valenzuela Mayor Weslie "Wes" Gatchalian said that two more residents asked his help in filing a complaint against ACE Medical Center for illegal detention.

Gatchalian said Nerizza Safra and Cheryluvic Ignacio approached him after learning about the experience of two complainants who filed charges against the hospital.

Zafra said she gave birth to a premature baby in 2017 and stayed in the hospital for over a month. Her hospital bill reached half a million pesos but she could only pay P200,000 thus she asked the hospital to allow her to issue a promissory note. The hospital refused, prompting her to seek the help of the Public Attorney's Office which issued a demand letter to the hospital.

The hospital allowed Zafra and her daughter to go home but since she failed to fully settle her bill, it did not register the birth certificate of her daughter.

Meanwhile, Ignacio was confined for Covid-19 in October 2021. After receiving a discharge order on the 11th day of confinement, her bill reached P275,374.47.

Since her HMO (health maintenance organization) did not cover all the amount, Ignacio asked if she could issue a promissory note for her balance of P150,372.

When the hospital refused, Ignacio had to stay at the hospital until a family member helped her settle the bill.

Gatchalian said that Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 109 Judge Marita Iris Laqui-Genilo has issued an arrest warrants for three personnel of the ACE Medical Center in Barangay Malanday.

Police chief Col. Allan Umipig said they would immediately serve the arrest warrants to the hospital staff identified as Maria Cristina Eugenio, Raymond Masaganda and Samuel delos Santos.

Last month, the mayor accompanied the first batch of complainants – Lovery Magtangob and Rachel Alvaro – who filed a case against the trio for alleged illegal detention, among others, before the City Prosecutor's Office.

In her sworn statement, Alvaro said that she was detained by hospital staff when she failed to settle the over P500,000 bill incurred by her husband who died in the hospital. She said that the hospital also refused to release the death certificate of her husband.

Magtangob said she was also prevented from leaving the hospital for their failure to pay the bill of her brother's wife who also died in the facility.

The mayor vowed to make sure that the case against the hospital staff would push through.

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