Pangasinan Today

Calayan used wrong chemical in penile enlargement operation, claims former client

MANILA, June 19 (PNA) — Former client of celebrity cosmetic surgeons Manny and Pie Calayan on Thursday insisted that the prominent reconstructive surgeons had used a wrong chemical in his penile enlargement operation.

Filipino-American businessman Louem Martinez, 34, presented to the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday afternoon a certification from the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) attesting that the “aquagel” the Calayans had injected in his penis is approved only for use in lubrication, not penis enlargement.

“In short, what is allowed by BFAD for use in the Philippines is the ‘aquagel lubricating gel’ and not the aquagel itself. There is substantial difference (sic) between the aquagel lubricating gel and the aquagel itself,” Martinez said in the counter-affidavit he submitted to Assistant City Prosecutor Jennifer Escorpezo-Bauau.

Martinez’s counter-affidavit is in reply to the counter-charges of perjury and unjust vexation the Calayans have filed against him.

Martinez’s counsel, Discoro Peligro, said the Calayan Surgicentre Corp. the Calayans own and operate was not even a licensed importer of both “aquagel lubricating gel” and “aquamid subdermal filler”, based on the certification of BFAD director Leticia-Barbara Gutierrez.

“The approved use of aquamid subdermal filler is for the reconstruction of facial defects caused by congenital, traumatic, or ageing alterations. The registration of the same, however, has expired and not renewed as of this writing, thus, should not be imported and sold,” the June 12 certification signed by Gutierrez stated.

In his counter-affidavit to Martinez’s charges of reckless imprudence resulting to serious physical injuries, estafa, and obstruction of justice, Calayan admitted having used “aquagel” in the penile enlargement operation he conducted on the complainant.

But he later said that he had actually meant “aquamid”, and to prove his point, presented the affidavits of two doctors attesting the safety of using aquamid as dermal filler in cosmetic procedures.

Peligro said (Manny) Calayan deliberately renamed the banned aquagel to aquamid in order to escape liability, which is contrast to the counter-affidavits they have filed before Prosecutor Dennis Rafa, which is hearing Martinez’s charges.

He said the Calayans deceived his client into believing that both aquagel and aquamid are approved by BFAD in penile enlargement procedures.

“Mr. Martinez would not have parted with his money for the payment of the services for penis enlargement of the Calayan Surgicentre Corp.,” Peligro argued.

Martinez is seeking P26 million from the Calayans for allegedly botching his penile enlargement operation, for which he claimed to have paid over P150,000.

He said his penis became permanently disfigured as a result of the operation.

But the Calayans countered that they have exercised the standard care on Martinez’s operation and hinted that the complainant could not have followed the post-operation instructions given to him.