MANILA, Philippines -- A day after First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo dropped by St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City for his therapy, it was now Vice President Noli De Castro’s turn to go to the hospital to have his “dry cough” checked.

The First Gentleman and De Castro’s visits were timed days after former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante was confined also at St. Luke’s following his arrival from the United States.

Bolante, who arrived Tuesday night, was admitted into SLMC the same night after complaining of chest pains. Doctors declared days later that he was in stable condition but would need to undergo more tests.

Bolante has been tagged as the chief architect in the transfer of P728 million in fertilizer funds to the campaign kitty of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 election.

De Castro arrived at SLMC past 3 p.m., telling reporters in jest that he was going to visit “Docdoc” instead of “Joc-Joc.”

"Sa docdoc ako, papacheck up regular sa lalamunan [I will have my regular check-up for my throat with my docdoc]," De Castro said in a chance interview.

When asked if he would visit Bolante, De Castro said they were not acquainted with each other.

"Hindi ko kilala yun, baka sabihin sino ka [I don’t know him. He might say, ‘who are you,’]" said De Castro.

"Hindi ko naman kilala kasi kung kilala ko dadalawin ko [I do not know him, and if I did], what's wrong with that," he added.

But De Castro said Bolante must now speak "para matapos na ang usapan [for the issue to end]."

De Castro also asked the Senate to allow Bolante to rest because he could really be sick.

"Kung hindi kaya ng tao humarap sa Senado bakit niyo pipilitin...kung may sakit e..papatayin mo naman 'yung tao. Nasa Amerika nga hindi niyo minadali e [If he can’t face the Senate yet, why will you force him to… if he’s really sick… you’re going to kill him… when he was in America, you didn’t rush him…]" he said.

De Castro stayed briefly in the hospital and when asked again said that his throat was so far okay.

Bolante, who was deported from the United States after a failed bid for political asylum, is set to face a Senate inquiry on the fertilizer scam.

On Wednesday, Bolante's doctor, Dr. Romeo Saavedra told a press conference that Bolante was in stable condition but noted a "significant narrowing" and hardening of his blood vessels that would need further tests.

He added that Bolante, who also has a history of peptic ulcer, must not be subjected to stress.