JUST IN. National Center for Mental Health exec Clarita Avila, who spoke out about the hospital’s non-response to the COVID-19 threat, has been reassigned to the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Las Piñas, sources confirmed to Rappler. | via @bnzmagsambol

On April 8, NCMH chief Roland Cortez ordered Avila to stop issuing statements regarding the hospital's coronavirus response. | via @bnzmagsambol

The statement came after Avila aired in a news report her concerns regarding the NCMH's lacking response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Avila was quoted as saying that the NCMH has 34 confirmed coronavirus cases, 28 of whom are health workers. | via @bnzmagsambol

Avila also disclosed that NCMH has 297 patients under investigation and 181 persons under monitoring as of April 5.

She also said that some NCMH workers do not report for work anymore due to the hospital's lack of PPEs and medical supplies. | via @bnzmagsambol

The DOH and the NCMH released two orders with different dates, March 9 and April 13, respectively. The orders, however, contained the same thing, saying that Avila has been reassigned to the drug rehabilitation facility. | via @bnzmagsambol

Avila suspected that the DOH order was antedated so that the public wouldn't connect the recent development to her exposé.

"They are really smart," she added. | via @bnzmagsambol

In a text message sent to Rappler Wednesday night, NCMH chief Roland Cortez said that the request of transfer was due to Avila's "unsatisfactory performance" and not directly related to her #coronavirus “expose.” | via @bnzmagsambol

“Wala siyang ginagawa sa hospital at wala siyang output and performance sa civil service. Hindi 'yan sumusunod sa basic civil service rule kaya siya tinanggal,” Cortez said. | via @bnzmagsambol