On August 7, 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD), under the supervision of Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), arrested five Vietnamese nationals in Barangay La Paz, Makati City, for violations of Republic Act No. 2382 (The Medical Act of 1959) in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175), the Food and Drug Administration Act (Republic Act No. 9711), and the Philippine Pharmacy Act (Republic Act No. 10918).
The operation was initiated after the NBI-CCD received verified information indicating that certain foreign nationals were engaging in the unauthorized practice of medicine. The individuals were found to be advertising their services on social media platforms, offering cosmetic procedures such as brow lifts, lip surgery, fox eye surgery, under-eye fillers, thread lifts, and upper eyelid surgery.
Subsequent surveillance confirmed that these individuals were performing medical procedures without the necessary government licenses from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
On August 7, 2025, an entrapment operation was conducted by NBI-CCD agents, resulting in the arrest of PHAN NGOC DUC, TUAN ANH PHAM, THI DIEU LINH DINH, VUONG THI NGAN, and LO THI MAI, who were caught in the act of performing these unauthorized medical procedures. Medical tools and related paraphernalia used in the procedures were also seized during the operation.
The subjects were presented for inquest proceedings for the aforementioned violations.Bookmark messageCopy message