Whistleblowers in “ghost dialysis” scam apply for inclusion in witness protection program

MANILA BULLETIN

Published 
By Jeffrey Damicog 
The whistleblowers in the “ghost dialysis” scam have asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to place them under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ordered the NBI to arrest the owners of WellMed Dialysis Center involved in the alleged “ghost dialysis” scam. The Well Med Dialysis Center in Novaliches, Quezon City. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ordered the NBI to arrest the owners of WellMed Dialysis Center involved in the alleged “ghost dialysis” scam. The Well Med Dialysis Center in Novaliches, Quezon City. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“They already applied for admission into the program and its being evaluated for consideration,” said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) spokesman Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin.
Meanwhile, charges have already been filed against WellMed Dialysis Center owner Bryan Christopher Sy and the two whistleblowers–former WellMed employees Edwin Roberto and Liezel Aileen De Leon–before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) for 17 counts of estafa through falsification of public documents in violation of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
Lavin expressed confidence that both Roberto and De Leon will be accepted under the WPP, and become state witnesses.
“Tingin ko naman ma-admit sila (I think they will get admitted),” Lavin said.
Lavin had previously explained that the whistleblowers will have to be charged before prosecutors can ask the court to discharge them as state witnesses.
Though the charges are bailable, Lavin believes that it would be better that the whistleblowers remain in NBI custody.
“I understand mas mahirap yung naka-bail, nasa labas sila, considering na mga officials itong mga kalaban nila (It would be difficult for them to be on bail and that they are outside considering their opponents are officials),” he explained.
Meanwhile, he assured that the NBI will not keep the whistleblowers in a jail facility while in its custody.
The lawyer of the whistleblowers, former Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, had already raised concerns of his clients that they might be kept in jails despite being responsible for the expose.
“Definitely they are not in the jail and they have not tasted jail,” Lavin said.

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