Two Vietnamese nationals were arrested for allegedly practicing medicine without a license at a beauty clinic in Barangay Poblacion, according to the Southern Police District.
The suspects, identified by police only as alias “Van” and alias “Thi,” were apprehended in an entrapment operation at a beauty clinic on Salamanca Street. They were caught performing aesthetic procedures, including Botox and dermal filler injections, without the necessary permits from the Professional Regulation Commission.
Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo, acting district director of the Southern Police District, said the operation was launched after police received a tip about the unauthorized medical activities. Joint operatives from the District Special Operations Unit and the Makati City Police Station used a police “patient” to confirm the illegal practice.
Upon their arrest, the suspects were unable to present any licenses or accreditation. Authorities said the pair had reportedly been operating in the Philippines for about a year.
Police seized several items from the clinic, including boxes of Botulax and Botox, mesotherapy solutions, syringes, surgical tools and anesthesia.
The suspects were informed of their constitutional rights in Vietnamese using a translation app and are now in the custody of the District Special Operations Unit.
They will face charges for violating The Medical Act of 1959.
“This operation sends a strong message: The illegal practice of medicine will never be tolerated in our jurisdiction,” Arceo said in a statement as he urged the public to verify the credentials of medical practitioners and to report any suspicious activities to the police.