By Ferdinand Fabella

Cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo is shrugging off the P20-million damage suit filed by a former patient, claiming she has nothing to do with the allegedly botched facial operation.

Belo, of Belo Medical Group Inc., said she was caught unaware by the criminal complaint filed by US-based nurse Leila Palaganas before the Makati City Prosecutors Office.

?I?m surprised why they included me. I have not met and seen her [Palaganas]. I was not present during the operation. I really don?t know why my name is being dragged into this,? she said in a press conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City.

Accompanied by her new lead counsel, United Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano, Belo and her co-accused, Dr. Jennifer Sison-De Leon, filed their separate counter-affidavits in court yesterday.

The two were charged with reckless imprudence resulting in serious injuries over the Thermage procedure De Leon had allegedly performed on July 8 last year.

Belo said this was the first time someone had complained against the non-surgical procedure for removing facial wrinkles with the use of radio-frequency technology called ?ThermaCool.?

Tamano said his clients were free of any liability whatsoever.

?We are quite confident that we will get a proper decision from the court because we are innocent of any wrongdoing,? he said, adding that Belo?s firm even offered the complainant to fly her back to the Philippines on company expense to examine her supposed injuries.

De Leon denied any bungled operation, insisting she was qualified to do the Thermage, having done it successfully many times on other patients.

She noted that Palaganas?ignoring medical recommendation?immediately left for the US, foregoing with Fraxel laser treatment that would have allowed her skin to heal faster.

?At any rate, when complainant sought consultation in the USA, she was no longer my patient to whom I owe any professional duty,? she said in her separate counter-affidavit.

Pressed for comment, Palaganas? counsel Arnold Naval downplayed the accused?s posturing.

?We believe in our client?s cause and that her complaint and supplemental complaint affidavits have adequately established this. She would not have braved flying back to the Philippines and exposing herself to the public if she did not have any case,? he told Standard Today in a text message.

?They can dwell on technicalities but they cannot deny the fact that they permanently injured Ms. Leila Palaganas. Their defenses should be properly threshed out in a full-blown trial in court,? he added.