Belo doc under probe for alleged botched butt job

MANILA, Philippines - Government agents have started investigation on a supposed botched butt augmentation procedure performed by a doctor formerly connected with the Belo Medical Group. Set to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation is Dr. Francis Decangchon, the surgeon who performed elective surgery for hydrogel butt implants on 40-year-old businesswoman Josefina Norcio. Norcio is currently confined at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City where she had the foreign substance injected on her butt removed. She said the substance had caused her numerous medical problems which necessitated her going in and out of the hospital since May 10. Ross Bautista, executive officer of the NBI's Office of Deputy Director for Intelligence Services (DDIS), said he had already talked with Decangchon regarding the matter. “I had an initial talk with Doctor Decangchon and he is set to appear at the bureau anytime and we will take his statement," Bautista said. In an interview with GMA News, Decangchon denied any irregularity in the operation. "The patient has been satisfied with the retouch. There was no post operative period. There was no infection," he said in an interview aired over “24 Oras." He added that everything was done "according to the protocol that was provided and is provided by all Belo Medical Clinics." "The protocol includes step by step procedure plus the amount of the material," he said. Hydrogel The NBI Chemistry Division had already conducted chemical analysis on the hydrogel butt implants taken from Norcio and is only waiting for the results. “The hydrogel developed sort of ‘bacteria’ and the infection spread to other parts of her body. And according to her lawyers, she almost died," Bautista said. Bautista also requested St. Luke’s to furnish them the medical records of the patient so that a comparison could be made with the findings of the NBI Chemistry Division. “We will see if the procedure for that kind was followed by the Belo clinic doctors on Norcio or not. We want to know the kind of hydrogel that was used. There are five kinds of hydrogel so we have to know what kind they used and if this is good quality or not," he said. He said the focus of the probe is to determine if there was a criminal liability on the part of Decangchon and the Belo Medical Group. No comment yet The Belo Medical Group, which is owned by celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo, confirmed that Decangchon used to work for them. In a statement, Leah Salterio, the firm’s corporate public relation officer, said they are withholding judgment since they are yet to communicate with Norcio. She also noted the lapse in time between the surgery and Norcio’s confinement at St. Luke’s. “While the Belo Medical Clinic is concerned with her current medical condition since she was a former patient. Unfortunately, Belo Medical Clinic has not had an opportunity to examine Ms. Norcio. As such, we cannot properly comment on her medical status," Salterio said. “Furthermore, the lapse of time and the supervening events that may have occurred after her surgery make it difficult to make any judgment on her medical status," she added. - with Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV