MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 4) The medical condition of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante, tagged as the architect of the multimillion-peso fertilizer scam, has remained unclear as security at the hospital where he had been confined since Tuesday night was tight.

Up late Wednesday night, the St. Luke’s Medical Center has not issued a medical bulletin on Bolante, who was brought here when he arrived before midnight Tuesday from the United States after he was deported by authorities there following a failed bid for political asylum.

Marites Lagmiton, St. Luke's patient affairs official, said they respected the patient's right to privacy.

"This is a different situation because he is under the custody of the Senate sergeant-at-arms," Lagmiton said in a phone interview.

Lagmiton also said the hospital cannot release Bolante's medical bulletins to media without the approval of the Senate sergeant-at-arms.

All she would disclose is that a cardiologist, Dr. Romeo Saavedra, is closely monitoring Bolante’s condition.

But a hospital billing statement shown to some reporters revealed that Bolante underwent blood tests and 2D Echo with doppler, among others. The document also showed Bolante took Benadryl and Isotonic NACL.

Bolante’s medical bill has reached P68,872 since his confinement late Tuesday night but that he was given a discount of P13,774.40, according to the billing statement.

INQUIRER.net was a witness as to how tight the security was inside the hospital, as guards would ask visitors the room number of the person they were supposed to visit.

Bolante is at Room 2016, Annex 2 of the hospital, with at least eight Senate security guards.

Speculations about Bolante’s real condition arose after some members of the media were surprised why the former agriculture official was wheeled into the SLMC if his condition was delicate.

It took some 30 minutes before the ambulance was able to transfer Bolante from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“If it was really an emergency condition, he should have been brought to Villamor Hospital or any medical facility near the airport,” a journalist noted.

“Why was brought to a suite and not to the emergency room?” a television reporter asked.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer observed at least eight men clad in barong and with handheld radios, were positioned around Bolante's room.

The members of the Senate police also said that aside from them, members of the Philipine National Police Security Office and the hospital's security personnel were part of the group guarding the controversial undersecretary.

Lagmiton denied Bolante's stay had been arranged before Bolante arrived in the country.

"No, it's not true there was no prior arrangement,'' Lagniton told reporters.

The Inquirer asked relatives of patients at St. Luke’s and they said the line at the admission office was long, and getting a private room could take time.

"My sister reserved two days in advance but still had to wait for three hours on the day she was scheduled to be admitted before a room on the same floor where Bolante's staying became available,'' Myrna Inocencio told the Inquirer at the hospital waiting area.

Another woman said her husband, who just came for a check-up but was advised by his doctor to get himself confined, waited for a day before getting a private room.

"We had to stay in a semi-private room for a night before we could transfer to a private room,'' the wife said.

Inquirer tried to seek confirmation with the admission office but hospital security barred reporters from entering the premises. Reporters are confined to a cordoned off area outside the main entrance.

"We have orders not to let any reporters enter the building,'' a lady guard told reporters.

A call to the admission office was not entertained by the St. Luke’s management.