On Monday, June 28, 2021, former Panglao mayor Benedicto “Dodong” Alcala passed away.
However, it seems that Alcala’s death is now shrouded in controversy.
On Thursday, July 1, 2021, the doctor assigned to the Rural Health Unit (RHU) of Panglao was interviewed and she provided some light in the controversy.
Dr. Ann Villanueva , a doctor assigned at the RHU of Panglao, revealed on Thursday, that she indicated in the death clearance that Alcala was a Coronavirus disease (Covid) suspect. This, according to her, was based on the medications that she saw on the table near the bed of the late councilor.
Villanueva was the one who declared Alcala dead. She was called in to declare the councilor dead around 1:15 pm on June 28, 2021.
According to Villanueva, as she was taking a look at the remains of Alcala, she noticed some medications placed on a table near the councilor’s bed.
She said the medications were azithromycin, loperamide, and a paracetamol.
Villanueva quipped that azithromycin is an antibiotic usually used for upper respiratory tract infection; loperamide is used to control diarrhea, and paracetamol is used for fever.
Based on the medicines found near the councilor’s bed, she suspected the councilor may have contracted the Covid disease.
Villanueva clarified, however, that she cannot say with certainty that Alcala had Covid since there was no laboratory confirmation by way of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Villanueva said that Alcala’s remains were already in a rigor mortis state and it was no longer possible to subject the body to a swab test and determine with certainty if indeed there was Covid infection.
The RHU doctor had a chance to talk with Alcala’s attending physician. She was told by the attending physician that the late councilor asked for medicines to treat cough and diarrhea.
The RHU doctor was even informed that Alcala was advised by the attending physician to be confined but the late councilor asked to delay the admission for a day.
Villanueva said the body was buried immediately per protocol as Alcala was tagged as a Covid suspect.
Considering the medications found in Alcala’s room, which may be used to treat Covid symptoms, Villanueva decided to go on isolation in case she was able to catch an infection.
Sources say that Alcala’s male attending physician declined to divulge to Villanueva what his diagnosis was in relation to the cause of the former mayor’s death.
It is known that Alcala had comorbidities and was known to be diabetic.
Sources added that there were times that Alcala would suffer from hypoglycemia especially at night.
This leads us to ask these following questions.
1. Is Villanueva correct in tagging Alcala as a Covid suspect based on the medicines found near the bed of the late councilor?
2. Is there a need to dig deeper and look at Alcala’s medical history to get additional clues on the possible cause of death?
3. If Alcala was tagged as Covid suspect, was there any contact tracing done?
4. Did Alcala reveal to anyone that he suspected himself as having Covid?
5. Are the medicines mentioned above, the only ones found inside the room of Alcala?