"It is puzzling how these fake and unlisted medicines entered the country and being wildly sold by various drugstores nationwide. I suspect this kind of activity has been going on for a very long time," Revilla said.
He challenged the government to go after the smugglers and protectors of fake and unregistered drugs who were said to be amassing billions of pesos in their illegal activities.
The senator made this call after the successful series of raids conducted recently by law-enforcement agents on several establishments in the metropolis involved in the illicit trade.
He confirmed the $433,000 bribe attempt made by an anonymous person to stop the campaign against bogus medicines. "There were feelers sent to my staff for a meeting. We were preparing an entrapment operation but it looks like the briber sensed it, "he revealed.
Revilla earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 123 urging the Senate to investigate the proliferation of smuggled, counterfeit and unregistered medicines in the country in order to come up with corrective legislation to address the said problem.
He stressed that there is a need to strengthen the powers of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) and increase the penalties against those engaged in the sale of fake, unregistered and smuggled medicines.
"Our efforts to lower the price of medicine will be futile if we see the proliferation of counterfeit and unregistered drugs. Public health will be at grave risk due to these fake drugs," Revilla explained.
