NBI investigating death of 10-year-old boy in Tondo after alleged circumcision by fake doctor
The National Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death of a 10-year-old boy who died after allegedly undergoing circumcision in Tondo by an unregistered doctor.
The boy's mother reported the incident to the police in Manila and asked for assistance from the NBI.
"Iniimbestigahan namin, but then number one 'yan is the autopsy. Kung ano results ng autopsy, kung meron dapat managot or what," NBI Director Jaime Santiago said, as per GMA News.
"Malaman namin 'yung cause ng death. Isu-subpoena namin siya kung anong procedure ang ginawa niya."
On May 17, Marjorie San Agustin brought her son Nathan to a lying-in clinic, which she learned about from a friend's social media post, for circumcision. Before the procedure, the clinic staff said that the boy reportedly received 20cc of anesthesia.
San Agustin told GMA News that Nathan started feeling numb and shivering, but the doctor said this was normal.
"Tapos na po, nagsisigaw na po, ganoon na po, nakikisigaw na po siya," she said.
Her son was rushed to a hospital and was declared dead on arrival.
In another report, San Agustin said that Nathan was in good condition before the incident.
Not a registered doctor
A barangay official told the local outlet that the person who circumcised Nathan was not a registered doctor.
The suspect had previously been arrested in 2023 for using the name and license number of a doctor they had worked with in the past. They were released on bail afterward.
Maria Christina Tipon, councilor of Barangay 146, told GMA's Unang Balita that the suspect does not have a permit. "Ang alam namin, licensed midwife siya," she said.
After the May 17 incident, the suspect was brought to the Manila Police District but was released, as an autopsy has yet to be performed to determine the cause of Nathan's death.
In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, pediatrician Angel Atienza-Capistrano stressed that parents should make sure that their son has a pediatric clearance to undergo circumcision before anything else. "We have to check if there's current infection that can possibly affect the contemplated procedure," she said. "It's also important to rule out any personal or family medical history of bleeding problems, allergies to a certain drug, or has other medical conditions requiring maintenance medicines."
Atienza-Capistrano also noted that parents need to make sure that the surgeon who is performing it is a licensed doctor for a safe and smooth procedure. "All prescriptions and medical certificates should have the doctor's license number," she said, noting that it can be verified through the Professional Regulation Commission's portal here.
Among the trusted facilities that offer circumcision include St. Luke's Medical Center, Delos Santos Medical Center, and Makati Medical Center. (with reports from Brooke Villanueva)
