Cops Raid 'Secret' Hospital for COVID-19 Positive Chinese Nationals in the Philippines

On Tuesday, May 19, the authorities raid a secret hospital catering to Chinese nationals in Pampanga, Philippines. According to John Consulta of GMA News "24 Oras," the hospital was once a leisure village before it was converted into a makeshift medical facility for COVID-19 positive Chinese patients.

Illegal Chinese Hospital

According to reports, Fontana Leisure Park inside the Clark Freeport Zone is now under "full lockdown" starting on Tuesday, May 19, after a raid by authorities discovered that the makeshift medical facility for Chinese nationals is located inside the leisure village.

The state-owned firm, Clark Development Corporation (CDC), has arrested Hu Ling, 45, the alleged owner of the underground establishment, and alleged pharmacist Lee Seung-Hyun, 38, who are both Chinese nationals.

According to GMA News, they will be charged a case in violation of the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 and the Medical Act of 1958.

Aside from them, CDC will also hold into account the management of Fontana Leisure Park for allowing this to happen within their property. Furthermore, the Philippine Department of Health or the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases said that the makeshift medical facility does not have any permit to operate.

Police Brigadier General Rhoderick Armamento of PNP, said that all of the patients in the hospital are Chinese nationals, and they are now checking who among them are positive of the deadly disease. Moreover, he said that these people believed that the hospital had cured them, but little did they know that they are still infected and continue to spread the virus.

Authorities have found medicines in Chinese labels that are believed to be used as a medication for the COVID-19 positive patients. However, these drugs are not registered under the Philipines' Food and Drug Administration. They have also discovered some medical wastes in the area, such as syringes, tubes, and lidless plastic containers

During the raid, authorities caught one Chinese patient and immediately transferred him to a legal hospital near the area.

CDC has assured the public that they will not stop until all involved people are arrested and punished.

Chinese Nationals in the Philippines

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, locals are worrying that an influx of Chinese nationals in Manila is pushing up rents and other costs, forcing locals out and inflaming racial hostility.

Another local, Karl Ocampo, 25, an Operations Associate at a logistics company in the city, said that although he does not mind the growing number of Chinese nationals, he is more concerned with the rude behavior and failure to follow the rules.

According to him, Chinese nationals block the driveways and how they have to wait for several minutes for the driveways to be cleared. Moreover, the Chinese nationals are also said to be smoking inside the building even when notices of no smoking are visible in the place.

The emergence of COVID-19 has only added to the general distrust and fear of Filipinos on Chinese nationals. The deadly disease has started in China late last year and has already affected almost 5 million people around the world.