LUYAO'S BAIL REMAINS HIGH

Doctor Accused Of Drug Charges Held On $1.83 Million Bail

FORT PIERCE A Port St. Lucie doctor charged with drug trafficking remained
in jail Thursday although a judge reduced her $1.89 million bail by $60,000.

Asuncion Luyao, 60, is charged with eight counts of trafficking in
painkillers, four counts of making false Medicaid claims and one count of
sale or delivery of methadone.

Deputies arrested Luyao on March 26 after months of investigation.

Prosecutors have indicated Luyao could also face homicide charges stemming
from the deaths of patients previously under her care.

Although Circuit Court Judge Dwight Geiger denied a motion that would have
kept Luyao in jail without bail, he would not reduce the bail to an amount
Luyao could afford.

Geiger reduced the amount of bail on each third-degree felony charge from
$10,000 to $2,500. He also reduced the bail amount on each second-degree
felony charge from $50,000 to $25,000.

Geiger did not alter the $200,000 bail amount applied to each of eight
first-degree felony charges.

Luyao, a native of the Philippines, has drawn significant support from her
patients, the local Filipino community and her family since her arrest.

More than 50 supporters, wearing yellow ribbons, packed the courtroom
Tuesday when the bond-reduction hearing began and again Thursday as
attorneys continued their arguments.

Defense attorney Richard Lubin said Luyao has strong ties to the community
and is not a flight risk.

"If this doctor had all this money and wanted to flee, it would have
happened a long time ago," Lubin said. "Her passport is expired. She has
not tried to renew it. She is prepared to stay and fight these charges."
Luyao herself testified Thursday afternoon. She said she has practiced
medicine in St. Lucie County for 25 years and has lived in the United
States for 35 years. She said she lives with several family members, and
has several others who live locally.

Luyao's brother, Victor Mendoza, is one of her local relatives.

"I would bet my life on it, that she would be back in court if called,"
Mendoza said.

Assistant State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl argued Luyao is a flight risk. He
pointed out that Luyao has several relatives in the Philippines.

"She is not a healer of people; she is a drug doctor," Bakkedahl said. "She
is no different than a person who stands on the corner of Avenue D and
dispenses crack cocaine. She acts like a drug dealer. She has every
incentive to pack up and leave."

Bakkedahl pointed out that deputies found $62,000 cash in her office when
it was searched late last year. He said someone with that much cash on hand
could easily disappear.

Bakkedahl argued that Luyao showed no interest in trying to determine what
was best for her patients. He claimed Luyao simply prescribed drugs and
pocketed the cash.

Lubin plans to appeal the bail-reduction ruling. He said the appeal should
take a few weeks.