NBI arrests owner, assistant of 'fake' occupational therapy clinic in Quezon
The owner and an employee of a suspected fake occupational therapy clinic in Lucban, Quezon were arrested last Dec. 19 in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The NBI identified those arrested as Jogie Rada Enal, owner of the Angel Hands Intervention Center, and her assistant and caregiver Analiza Rodil Lopez.
The operation that led to the arrest of the suspects was done by the NBI's Lucena District Office (NBI-LUCDO) based on a complaint.
“Verification made by NBI-LUCDO with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) revealed that Subject Enal is not a Registered Occupational Therapist,” the NBI said.
Following their arrest, Enal and Lopez were presented for inquest before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor for violation of Republic Act 11241, the Philippine Occupational Therapy Law of 2018.
“The operation stemmed from a complaint dated on Dec. 9, 2023 filed by one of the victims of Angel Hands Intervention Center (Angel Hands) owned by Subject Enal. According to the Complainant, he learned about the services being offered by Angel Hands thru its Facebook page, which included Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and ABA Therapy to children who are suffering from down syndrome, autism, ADHD, learning disability, dyslexia, and other abnormalities. Complainant also disclosed that he has a three (3) year-old son whom he suspected to be suffering from autism,” the NBI said.
“Complainant met with Subject Enal who represented herself as an Occupational Therapist and introduced Subject Lopez as the Assistant Teacher/Caregiver of Angel Hands. Subject Enal demanded P1,000 from the Complainant as advance payment for the assessment of his child and an additional P3,800 for the three (3) month therapy, which would be paid before the therapy begins,” it added.
It said the complainant decided to seek the help of NBI-LUCO after discovering that “Subject Enal was not a legitimate occupational therapist and that she had already victimized unsuspecting parents of children with alleged autism.”