DOLE warns of possible closure of beauty clinic linked to malpractice case

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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday warned that a beauty clinic could be shut down following an inspection on Thursday to determine whether it violated the Labor Code, after it was linked to a malpractice case that resulted in a patient's death.

During the Senate's deliberation of the DOLE and its attached agencies' proposed P26.162-billion budget for 2027, Senator Raffy Tulfo flagged that the clinic and the plastic surgeon involved remain in operation despite a similar case in 2017.

“Wala pa akong alam na doctor na so far na napabalita na tinanggalan nila ng lisensya,” Tulfo said.

(I don't know of any doctor so far who has been reported to have had their license revoked.)

“Mayroon siyang pasyente nung 2017, sinabay-sabay niya yung surgery... Ayun, namatay yung pasyente. Hindi pa nadala, nitong 2026,” he added.

(He had a patient in 2017 and performed multiple surgeries simultaneously... The patient died. He still hasn't learned his lesson, now here in 2026.)

In 2017, a 29-year-old woman died after undergoing three aesthetic procedures at the clinic: liposuction, and buttock and breast augmentation.

Last month, a Filipino-American reality television personality sought the National Bureau of Investigation's help in finding answers surrounding the sudden death of his mother, who died a week after undergoing a series of surgeries at a beauty clinic in the Philippines.

For his part, DOLE Secretary Francis Tolentino said the cosmetic surgeon's license should be revoked.

“Sa darating na linggo, pupulungin natin yung PRC at yung medical board para we'll take notice of what you have mentioned, and we will initiate a fact-finding [investigation] at nang sa ganoon po ay makasuhan. Sang-ayon po ako na matanggalan ng lisensya,” he said.

(In the coming week, we will meet with the PRC and the medical board so we can take note of what you have mentioned. We will initiate a fact-finding investigation so charges can be filed. I agree that the license should be revoked.)

Meanwhile, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said a case had already been filed against the cosmetic surgeon in 2021, three years after the first reported malpractice case.

“As to the recent case, we will do the investigation motu proprio on that,” PRC chairperson Charito Zamora said.

“Mayroon nang case, it was filed 2021 (There is already a case. It was filed in 2021),” she added.

Tulfo expressed surprise at the PRC official's response.

“Three years? Ibig sabihin, ganoon kayo ka-inutil sa PRC (That means you are that useless at the PRC.),” he said.

Meanwhile, DOLE said it would inspect the clinic on Thursday to determine whether it had violated provisions of the Labor Code.

“We can do an immediate inspection tomorrow of the clinic and we will submit a report to this committee... If found violative of Article 128 of the Labor Code, kami na po magsasara,” Tolentino said.

(We can do an immediate inspection tomorrow of the clinic and we will submit a report to this committee... If found to be in violation of Article 128 of the Labor Code, we ourselves will close it down.)

GMA News Online reached out to the clinic for comment.— MCG, GMA News

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