MANILA— Sen. Raffy Tulfo has urged the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to act promptly on complaints involving a doctor linked to alleged patient deaths, following the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) issuance of a work stoppage order against The Icon Clinic over labor violations.

Tulfo welcomed DOLE’s action against the clinic owned by Dr. Eric Yapjuanco, also known as “Doc Yappy,” but called on the PRC to consider preventive suspension against the doctor amid concerns over reported medical malpractice incidents.

“The PRC should not sit on this issue because lives are at stake,” Tulfo said.

The senator raised the issue during DOLE’s budget hearing on Sept. 30, 2026, criticizing the PRC for its alleged slow response to complaints against doctors accused of medical malpractice, including cases reportedly resulting in patient deaths.

One of the cases involved procedures performed at The Icon Clinic that were reportedly linked to patient deaths. Tulfo said the doctor involved had allegedly not had their license revoked despite the incidents.

He subsequently directed DOLE to issue a cease-and-desist order against the clinic and investigate the reported cases. DOLE Secretary Francis Tolentino supported the directive and pledged to inspect the establishment for possible labor law violations.

During a meeting at the DOLE office in Intramuros on Oct. 8, department representatives reported that a labor inspection conducted at the clinic on Oct. 1 had uncovered several violations.

These included noncompliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) and requirements for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (HIRAC).

The clinic also allegedly failed to submit the required occupational safety and health documents to DOLE and had only one safety personnel member despite a requirement for two.

Tolentino had also summoned Yapjuanco for a personal interview, but the doctor reportedly sent a lawyer instead.

Following the inspection, DOLE issued a work stoppage order that temporarily suspended the clinic’s operations. Its management subsequently committed to correcting the identified violations within the prescribed 20-calendar-day period.

Tulfo thanked DOLE for its prompt response but stressed that the PRC must also take action, at least by imposing preventive suspension against Yapjuanco, given the seriousness of the allegations.

He noted that the work stoppage order against The Icon Clinic would not prevent the doctor from performing surgical procedures at other clinics or hospitals, underscoring the need for the PRC to address the matter separately.