(Eagle News)—The Supreme Court has junked the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines’ petition against a law that imposes increased penalties on medical institutions and personnel who make payments a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care and allowing confinement.
In dismissing the petition against Republic Act No. 10932, or the Act Strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, the SC focused on procedural issues, noting also what it said were the “hypothetical scenarios” presented in the petition in the first place.
“If the Court were to invalidate the questioned law on the basis of conjectures and suppositions, then it would be unduly treading question of policy and wisdom not only of the legislature that passed it, but also of the executive which approved it,” the SC said.
The High Court also noted that PHAPI had no legal standing, and was unable to present a “prima facie challenge” that is “exceptionally compelling to justify direct resort” to the SC.
RA 10932 imposes, among others, an increased fine of not less than P500,000, but not more than P1,000,000, or both, on the medical director or personnel director or officer implementing and formulating the deposit-first policy.