CEBU CITY – A woman was arrested after she allegedly pretended to be a doctor and performed a beauty enhancement procedure on an unsuspecting female client.
DIMBER dela Cruz Celis is about to prepare a beauty enhancement procedure in a hotel in Cebu City when the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas arrested her on July 19. (NBI-7)
The suspect was identified as Dimber dela Cruz Celis, who claimed to be a native of Iloilo.
The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) have filed charges against Celis for violation of Republic Act (RA) 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959 and RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2023.
The case stemmed from the complaint of Johanna Buenaflor Cepeda who alleged that the suspect made her believe that she was a licensed physician.
Cepeda said she came to know Celis through a Facebook post where the suspect advertised her services.
The two exchanged messages on Facebook until Cepeda decided to avail of Celis’ services.
The suspect allegedly injected under eye filler treatment and botox shots on the complainant.
A few weeks after the procedure, the complaint noticed that something was wrong in her face. She contacted Celis but the suspect blocked her on Facebook.
When the complainant’s face started to swell, she consulted with two physicians, who informed that her face got infected and needed surgery.
On July 17, the suspect contacted the victim to inform that she was going to Cebu.
The NBI-7 said that the suspect told the victim that she was willing to conduct another procedure to correct the previous one for a minimal fee. It was then that the victim reported to the NBI-7 which then conducted an entrapment operation.
The victim and the suspect agreed to meet on July 19 in a hotel in Barangay Lahug where the supposed procedure was set to be conducted.
The suspect was preparing syringes and various injectable medicines when the NBI-7 implemented the arrest.
The NBI-7 later learned that Celis was the same person who was arrested in 2020 in Butuan for syndicated estafa. Celis is said to be the leader and founder of alleged investment scam Forex Rice Trading Group.