Doc who did Alvin Flores' plastic surgery surfaces

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/06/2009 6:18 PM

MANILA - A cosmetic surgeon who conducted plastic surgery on robbery gang leader Alvin Flores surfaced on Friday and told police that he was unaware that his client was a wanted criminal.

Dr. Dominador Pedracio said Flores went to his clinic in Antipolo last year and introduced himself as Juan Carlo Chavez or JC Chavez. He said Chavez said he was gay and that he wanted to have his face changed to mimic that of former matinee idol Rustom Padilla.

He said Chavez even introduced his accomplice, Ritchie Hijapon, as his boyfriend. He said Chavez paid P250,000 for a nose job, eye lift and addition of dimples on both cheeks.

Pedracio said he did not know that "Chavez" was a wanted criminal until he saw the latest news reports.

"I am used to this kind of interrogation especially medico-legal cases. Especially that we are surgeons and we are all summoned by courts to testify on issues pertaining to some medico-legal concerns. And this is not something unusual to us except that this one is much sensationalized in relation to the transformation made," he told reporters.

Pedracio submitted Flores' medical records to the National Bureau of Investigation. His lawyer, Virgilio Garcia, said he is confident that Pedracio did not know Flores before the procedure.

"He has nothing to be defensive about because he is not the accused. We will just tell how he met Alvin Flores. Just give him a chance to air his side," he said.

NBI officials said they will examine Flores' records to determine the veracity of Pedracio's statements.

Flores, alleged leader of the Alvin Flores Gang, has been wanted by the police for conducting a series of high profile robberies including the October 18 heist at the Greenbelt 5 mall in Makati City. He and two other gang members, Richie Hijapon and Mark Salamanca, were killed in the encounter in Cebu City last week.

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