‘Fake dentist’ nabbed in Dumaguete

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – A former barangay official in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental is facing criminal charges for allegedly practicing dentistry without a license.

On Tuesday, joint operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Negros Oriental, along with the local police, and personnel of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), collared Ronnie Pasunting, 60, of Barangay Calindagan, following a complaint from the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) in the province.

Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Huesca, CIDG-Negros Oriental head, said the PDA complained about Pasunting’s activities in March this year, but because of the pandemic, they were able to conduct the operation only recently after conducting surveillance.

Huesca said a police officer posed as a patient which led to the suspect’s arrest inside his dental laboratory at Barangay Calindagan.

PDA representatives were also present during the operation.

Authorities recovered from the suspect the P5,500 marked money, improvised receipt, compressor, and other dental paraphernalia.

Huesca said Pasunting, a dental technician assistant and a former village councilor, has been in the dental business for about 18 years now.

Huesca said charges for violation of Republic Act 9484 or the “The Philippine Dental Act of 2007,” was already filed against the suspect who is in the custody of CIDG.

He said the suspect’s family is already processing the P30,000 bail for his provisional liberty.