THE Public Attorney’s Office, under the leadership of its chief, Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, has endeavored to reach an amicable and mutually acceptable settlement between both parties despite the unfortunate incident.
However, the opposing party—the respondents—appeared to prefer to resolve the matter in court. PAO, therefore, can’t be faulted if it’s already proceeded with the formal filing of the case.
PAO’s Atty. Julius Ceasar ‘JC’ Balbuena told Good Riddance that it filed the civil case for alleged medical malpractice and negligence against Dr. Maria Victoria Veloso, Quezon Provincial Hospital Network-Gumaca; and nurse Ma. Fe Alice Panopio, after its three mediation proceedings – set to help disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement – failed.
The case, raffled to RTC-Branch 173 Judge Maria Lourdes Gutierrez, stemmed from the June 13, 2025 death of a six-year-old boy, who’s bitten by the family’s one-month-old pet puppy.
The Grade 1 pupils parents – Benigno and Genalyn Postre, sought the help of PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta over the untimely death of their son. The latter, despite seeing the alleged criminal liability of Veloso and Panopio, set the mediation hearings which, however, did not prosper.
On May 7, also last year, the boy was bitten by their pet on his left hand while the puppy died three days later. On May 12, the boy’s mother informed the attending nurse about the puppy’s death.
On June 12, the boy was taken to the provincial hospital for fever and nausea. On June 13 past 10p.m., the boy passed away because of “acute laryngospasm due to rabies encephalopathy from rabies infection.”
PAO believed that the boy could haven’t died if he’s readily injected with Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) – an antibodies medication that’s used to boost the immune system – which it reportedly failed to do until his death.
Reiterating that the anti-tetanus toxoid wasn’t administered on the patient, PAO doctors believe the child died of tetanus complications based on the immediate cause of death – acute laryngospasm (lockjaw) due to rabies encephalopathy from rabies infection.
The family was seeking a total of P4.3-million for actual damages and loss of the victim’s earning capacity, among others.
The separate criminal case was also set for filing by the government prosecutors.
