NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents have arrested in Quezon City four illegal sellers Remdesivir, an experimental drug being used to treat COVID-19 patients.

NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric B. Distor identified the arrested suspects as Maria Christina Manaig, Christopher Boydon, Philip Bales, and Bernard Tommy Bunyi.

The simultaneous operations stemmed from information received by the NBI-Special Task Force about the rampant online sale of Remdesivir.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the public that the use of the anti-viral drug requires a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP).

However, a CSP is not tantamount to a Certificate of Product Registration issued by the FDA.

The FDA added that the CSP is only granted to licensed doctors and hospitals who shall take full responsibility for the use and dispensing of Remdesivir.

The FDA also stressed that a drug product which was issued a CSP, is not an assurance of product quality, safety and efficacy. Thus, no product with CSP can be marketed commercially.

NBI-STF was able to establish communication with the suspects and ordered from two sellers a vial each of for P4,500 and P5,000 respectively.

On June 15, 2021, the NBI-STF hatched two simultaneous entrapment operations against the two sellers which resulted in the arrest of suspects Manaig, Boydon, and Bale along West Avenu, Quezon City by the first team of STF agents.

The second team nabbed Bunyi onTimog, Quezon City.

The suspects were persented for inquest before the City Prosecutor of Quezon City for violation of Republic Act 9711, otherwise known as the “Food Administration Act of 2009” and R.A. 5921, otherwise known as the “Philippine Pharmacy Act”.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas