MANILA – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) is adamant that it followed the rules laid out in Medical Act of 1959 when they reinstated Hayden Kho’s medical license.
The board had to justify their decision after actress Katrina Halili ‘s legal counsel criticized the PRC’s decision as premature. Atty. Raymund Palad said last week that the two-year waiting period required before a doctor whose license has been revoked can apply for reinstatement can has not yet lapsed, in Kho’s case.
However, Dr. Miguel Noche Jr., chairman of the Board of Medicine at the PRC defended the board’s decision.
In an interview with “The Buzz” on Sunday, Noche said: “Bakit namin sinauli? Number one, nag-surrender siya ng kanyang license sa amin nung September 2011. Ang aming batas, kapag revoked ang license, pwede ka mag-apply after two years. Sinusunod namin ang aming Medical Act of 1959 or RA 2382. Sabi doon, pagkatapos ng dalawang taon, ang Board of Medicine pwedeng maibalik ang lisensya ng isang doktor na binawian ng lisensya kung nag-behave siya ng mabuti sa community at hindi siya nahabla ng immorality.”
Noche pointed out that In the case of Kho, the two-year period should be counted starting 2011, and not 2012, as earlier insisted by Palad.
“Ang aming bilang is the time na sinurrender mo [ang license]. Nung nagsauli siya, September 2011. Kung bibilangin mo yun, more than two years. Satisfied ang aming Medical Act,” Noche clarified.
Kho’s lawyer, Atty. Lorna Kapunan, likewise shared Noche’s reasoning.
“It’s not true that masyadong mabilis. In fact, matagal ng konti. Hindi naman matagal but final ‘yung proseso ng PRC,” she said.
“Si Hayden himself nakausap ng office namin. He is going to issue his own personal statement pagdating niya. Kumukuha siya ng klase ng theology, apologetics sa London. He has a heightened sense of spirituality ngayon eh. I guess now there is order in his universe,” Kapunan added.
On the side of his client, Palad said that Halili is still waiting for closure, as no sincere apology has been issued by Kho to the actress since the incident took place in 2009.
“Karapatan ng kahit sinong doktor na nabawian ng lisensya na mag-aspire na maibalik. Hindi tayo against doon. Patunayan lang niya na deserving na siya at pwede nang bumalik. Ang hinihintay namin is yung sincere na paumanhin kay Ms. Halili para magkaroon ng closure ang problema, Kasi mula pa nung 2009, wala pa talaga. ‘Yun talagang sorry na huwag sa TV. Actually siguro matagal na napatawad pero sa palagay ko kung magso-sorry siya kay Ms. Halili, hindi naman tatanggihan,” he said.