DILG Orders Probe Into Viral Emergency Services Delay, 'Ill-Equipped' Ambulance Allegations

NEWS | The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched an investigation into the alleged delay and sub-par response of the emergency services hotline during a medical emergency. DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed the probe, stating, “We are investigating the matter,” following a viral social media post that sparked public outrage.

In a Facebook post, actor and nursing graduate Basti Askri recounted dialing the emergency number for nearly 10 minutes without an answer while trying to seek immediate help for his father, who was suffering a heart attack. According to Askri, when a dispatcher finally answered, he was repeatedly told to "wait". He claimed he could clearly hear laughter and casual chatter in the background while his father was in critical condition.

Furthermore, Askri alleged that the responding ambulance was ill-equipped, lacking an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). He added that the emergency responders failed to take over cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), forcing him to continue performing the procedure until his father ultimately passed away.