Calayan couple denies allegations over cosmetic surgery
05/05/2008 | 12:41 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Cosmetic surgeons Manny and Pie Calayan on Sunday dismissed as mere hearsay the allegations of a former patient who has filed a P26-million lawsuit against them over a penile enlargement operation.
Lawyer Reggie Ukol, counsel for the Calayans, said there was not even a single proof that his clients bungled the procedure they conducted on New York-based-businessman Louem Martinez on September 25, 2007.
"For one, they did not attach in their complaint even one medical certificate attesting to the alleged deformity in Martinez' penis. There wasn't even a photograph," Ukol said.
"So all of that are pure hearsay," he stressed.
Martinez filed charges of estafa, reckless imprudence resulting in serious physical injuries and obstruction of justice against the Calayans before the Makati City Prosecutors Office (MCPO).
He is also seeking from the Calayans P20 million in actual damages and P6 million for moral and exemplary damages for the alleged injuries his private organ sustained after the operation last year.
The complainant said the "aqua gel" Manny inserted in his organ as "derma filler" did not result in the enlargement of it but instead caused severe deformity and pain.
The Calayans denied the charges in the separate counter-affidavits they filed before Makati 3rd Assistant Prosecutor Dennis Rafa last Wednesday.
Ukol explained that the medical certification Martinez was claiming to have did not state any conclusion on the condition of his organ nor it stated that aqua gel causes cancer.
Martinez said he consulted with local and US-based plastic surgeons, one of whom he identified as Dr. Marcelino Reysio-Cruz Jr., a diplomat in the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.
The victim said Cruz confirmed the distortion and sagging of his organ and that aqua gel may develop into tumors.
"That certification was a mere description of what the doctor saw. There was no official diagnosis or conclusion. The doctor's statement was not even notarized so it could not be accepted as evidence," Ukol countered Martinez' allegation.
Ukol said the last time Martinez consulted with Manny was on October 1, 2007, when sutures were removed from his newly operated sex organ.
"Then in November 20, exactly 57 days after the operation, we suddenly received this demand letter from their lawyers. After October 1, he never got in touched with Doctor Calayan again," Ukol recounted.
"So what happened during that 57 days? We do not know and we do not have control over it," he added, hinting that Martinez did not follow the post-operation instructions given to him.
Ukol pointed out that they are confident that the investigating prosecutor would drop the charges.
In his counter-affidavit, Manny said Martinez told him he was having difficulty in complying with his instructions, particularly in one-month abstinence from sex. - Sun.Star
Lawyer Reggie Ukol, counsel for the Calayans, said there was not even a single proof that his clients bungled the procedure they conducted on New York-based-businessman Louem Martinez on September 25, 2007.
"For one, they did not attach in their complaint even one medical certificate attesting to the alleged deformity in Martinez' penis. There wasn't even a photograph," Ukol said.
"So all of that are pure hearsay," he stressed.
Martinez filed charges of estafa, reckless imprudence resulting in serious physical injuries and obstruction of justice against the Calayans before the Makati City Prosecutors Office (MCPO).
He is also seeking from the Calayans P20 million in actual damages and P6 million for moral and exemplary damages for the alleged injuries his private organ sustained after the operation last year.
The complainant said the "aqua gel" Manny inserted in his organ as "derma filler" did not result in the enlargement of it but instead caused severe deformity and pain.
The Calayans denied the charges in the separate counter-affidavits they filed before Makati 3rd Assistant Prosecutor Dennis Rafa last Wednesday.
Ukol explained that the medical certification Martinez was claiming to have did not state any conclusion on the condition of his organ nor it stated that aqua gel causes cancer.
Martinez said he consulted with local and US-based plastic surgeons, one of whom he identified as Dr. Marcelino Reysio-Cruz Jr., a diplomat in the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.
The victim said Cruz confirmed the distortion and sagging of his organ and that aqua gel may develop into tumors.
"That certification was a mere description of what the doctor saw. There was no official diagnosis or conclusion. The doctor's statement was not even notarized so it could not be accepted as evidence," Ukol countered Martinez' allegation.
Ukol said the last time Martinez consulted with Manny was on October 1, 2007, when sutures were removed from his newly operated sex organ.
"Then in November 20, exactly 57 days after the operation, we suddenly received this demand letter from their lawyers. After October 1, he never got in touched with Doctor Calayan again," Ukol recounted.
"So what happened during that 57 days? We do not know and we do not have control over it," he added, hinting that Martinez did not follow the post-operation instructions given to him.
Ukol pointed out that they are confident that the investigating prosecutor would drop the charges.
In his counter-affidavit, Manny said Martinez told him he was having difficulty in complying with his instructions, particularly in one-month abstinence from sex. - Sun.Star
