Authorities seized some PHP3.5 million worth of counterfeit medicines in a recent raid in Ozamiz City, police said.
In a phone interview late Tuesday, Col. Michelle Olaivar, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office – Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) said the law enforcers did not expect to find a big number of both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines stored inside the suspect’s house identified as Leonardo Duma Jr. in that city.
The police raiding team, together with personnel from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), searched the house of Duma, 56, in Purok 6, Barangay Calabayan based on three search warrants issued by a local court on March 5.
“Both the police and FDA thought the suspect was just engaged in a small-time retailing. They were not aware that it was a big business operation,” Olaivar said.
Among the confiscated items were two big boxes containing 31,700 capsules of loperamide hydrochloride; another box contained 27,000 tablets of losartan potassium; 31,500 capsules of amoxicillin trihydrate; 13,100 capsules of mefenamic acid; 12,200 tablets of dicycloverine hydrochloride; and 13,400 tablets of carbocisteine.
Olaivar said the suspect, aside from running a mini-drugstore inside his house, also sold to customers in other parts of Northern Mindanao and has even established a distribution network outside the region.
She said the FDA has certified that all of the confiscated medicines were fake, adding that a tip from a pharmaceutical company, which complained that some of its brand names were being sold by the suspect, helped law enforcement agencies pinpoint his location.
Olaivar said the suspect is now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9711, or the FDA Act of 2009, in relation to RA 8203 or the Special Law for Counterfeit Drugs.
She said they are still investigating if Duma is a part of a syndicate engaged in the illegal manufacture and sale of medicines.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., PRO-10 director, said it is alarming to find out that such a scale of illegal activity could occur in this time of the pandemic.
“Rest assured that there will be more intensified law enforcement operations against the proliferation of various counterfeit medicines,” he said.
Last month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) directed local government units all over the country to ban the sale of medicines in “sari-sari” (neighborhood sundry) stores following reports on the proliferation of fake drugs being sold in small retail establishments.
The DILG’s order stemmed from President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to go after non-authorized stores that sell medicines following an FDA report indicating that from January 13 to February 11 this year, about 78 “sari-sari” stores were found out to be illegally selling medicines including anti-coronavirus disease 2019 drugs.
“Local government units (LGUs) should protect the health and general welfare of their constituents. We, therefore, urge LGUs to ensure that sari-sari stores within their jurisdiction are not selling any medicine because under the law, [they are not authorized],” said DILG Sec. Eduardo Año in a statement.
He said under Section 30 of RA 10918 or the Philippine Pharmacy Act, only FDA-licensed retail drug outlets or pharmacies are allowed to sell drugs and medicine to the consuming public.
Source: Philippines News Agency
