Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday he stands by a certification from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) he read in last Tuesday’s public hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole that B. Braun Avitum Dialysis Center Inc. is not registered as a corporation.
‘’Unless they show their documents to the contrary and validated by SEC, I will have to stand by the government agency’s issued document,’’ he said.
‘’Having said that, I also read into the records of the Committee of the Whole the SEC registration of B. Braun Medical Supplies Inc.,’’ he added.
In a statement issued this afternoon, B. Braun Avitum Philippines said its mother company is German medical and pharmaceutical device company B. Braum Avitum.
The statement further pointed out that the company was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on December 11, 1985 as B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc., whereas, B. Braun Avitum, a wholly-owned subsidiary of B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc., was originally incorporated as Philippine Renal Care, Inc. on January 24, 2002 (Company Registration No. A200201223) and later renamed as B. Braun Avitum Philippines, Inc.
Lacson countered that nothing could justify the release of funds in the aggregate amount of at least P45 million to B. Braun Avitum Dialysis Center Inc. that has not catered to a single COVID-19 patient and with such record speed, compared to more deserving HCIs, especially government hospitals catering to COVID patients which up to now have not received any payment in relation to PhilHealth Circular 2020-0007, which is its specific intent and purpose.