Gigi Reyes asks court for longer stay in Philippine Heart Center
Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–For fear of a heart attack or a stroke, accused pork barrel scam player Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow her to extend her stay at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC).
In a motion submitted before the court’s third division on Saturday, Reyes asked the court to allow her continued confinement at the PHC until her previous motion for a bigger hospital is resolved.
“Indeed, given Reyes’ fragile medical condition, her continued confinement at the Philippine Heart Center – a tertiary hospital equipped and capable of effectively evaluating and addressing her condition as well as properly managing any emergency situation – is the only way that Reyes would have the best possible chances of survival if and when an acute coronary event occurs,” the motion read.
Reyes was transferred to the PHC on Friday from the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital after she complained of chest pains and difficulty of breathing.
In the motion, Reyes’ doctor Anthony Lontoc said Reyes could suffer from an acute coronary event such as a heart attack or a stroke.
Reyes’ motion said the Taguig-Pateros hospital is not equipped with the facilities for such an acute coronary event.
Reyes also said in her motion that she should be detained at a jail nearest to a tertiary hospital, citing her seizures after she was detained in Camp Bagong Diwa.
She even said that in Camp Bagong Diwa, where she was first transferred, she had to be carried by several men down eight steep flights of stairs to the ground floor of the Taguig jail when she was first rushed to the Taguig hospital.
Reyes reiterated her motion to be transferred to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center, which is nearest to the PNP General Hospital, a tertiary hospital.
The court had junked Reyes’ plea for detention in the PNP for lack of merit.
“The events … where Reyes.. had to travel a considerable distance from Taguig City Jail to the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (which is however, not a tertiary hospital), clearly shows that Taguig City jail is not a suitable place to hold Reyes pending trial given her medical condition,” the motion read.
“On the other hand, PNP Custodial Center is just a stone throw’s away from the PNP General Hospital, (which) unlike the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital, is a tertiary hospital equipped and capable to handle any likely emergency situation,” the motion added.
“From the foregoing, accused Reyes respectfully implores that this Honorable Court authorize and allow accused Reyes to be transferred to and confined at a tertiary hospital, preferably the Philippine Heart Center or the Sta. Ana Hospital where her attending physicians are connected so that the cardiac condition and neurologic pathology status of accused Reyes can be properly evaluated and addressed,” Reyes’ motion stated.
Reyes, the former aide of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, also her co-accused in the pork barrel scam case, surrendered to the court after an arrest warrant was issued for her plunder case.
She is now at the PHC Coronary Intensive Care Unit.
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