Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian announced the resolution of the “Palit-Ulo Scam” during a press conference on December 23. The scam, which involved the illegal detention of individuals over unpaid medical bills at ACE Medical Center, gained national attention earlier this year. Following facilitated dialogues between the city government and the hospital, each of the four victims received PHP 1,000,000 in financial assistance.
The city government also enacted Ordinance No. 1178, Series of 2024, known as the Anti-Hospital Detention Ordinance, to prevent similar incidents. Mayor Gatchalian commended the Valenzuela City Police, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Department of Health for their roles in resolving the case and ensuring justice for the victims. Legal assistance provided by the city’s LAMP-SINAG Office also played a key role in holding the involved parties accountable.