MANILA, Philippines?Malacañang has taken a hands-off stance in the investigation of the leak on the breast implants of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, according to the National Bureau of Investigation.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring confirmed that the bureau had been conducting a probe, but said that the order to do so did not come from the Palace.

?Malacañang has nothing to do with the ongoing probe. The NBI conducted the probe upon the request of Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang to determine the possible administrative liability of any of its employees for the leakage,? Mantaring said.
Asked if the hospital had ordered the investigation, Rochelle Cordova, the hospital?s marketing manager, answered ?no comment.?

Cordova said hospital administrators and staff were advised not to talk to the media about the NBI probe or Ms Arroyo?s leaking breast implants.

Mantaring said medical files were confidential and medical practitioners and employees were governed by doctor-patient confidentiality.

Confidential

?Medical records and bulletin should not be divulged without the consent of the patient. So we are now trying to determine how the hospital files were able to be downloaded,? he said.

After checking out of the hospital on Thursday afternoon, news broke that Ms Arroyo underwent replacement of leaking breast implants.

Malacañang admitted Ms Arroyo underwent biopsies for lumps in her breast and groin at the hospital, but the results were negative. After initially denying it, the Palace admitted that the President had had breast implants done in the 1980s.

On Monday, an NBI official, who talked on condition of anonymity, said that it was the Department of Justice that directed the bureau to identify the individuals who leaked the information to the media.

He, however, said it was not clear if the order came directly from acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.

Three medical staff

The source also said that the NBI had interviewed at least three medical staffers, including those who had access to the medical bulletin and hospital records. Another source claimed that the focus of the investigation was a doctor.

Mantaring would not confirm if the doctors and nurses, who attended to Ms Arroyo while she was confined at the hospital, had already given their respective statements to bureau investigators.

He said the NBI would try to complete its probe ?as soon as possible.?

The investigation is being handled by the NBI Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division, he said.

Witch-hunt

United Opposition president and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said Ms Arroyo was using the NBI to conduct a witch-hunt against doctors and medical staff of Asian Hospital.

?It?s no longer about Ms Arroyo?s medical procedure but using government agencies for a witch hunt,? Binay said in a statement on Tuesday.

?Once again, Malacañang is showing that it is ready to use law enforcement agencies against those who in their opinion have put Ms Arroyo in a bad light,? he added.

Binay reiterated that the health condition of Ms Arroyo was of public interest. ?The public needs to be assured that the President?s decision is not affected or impaired by her medical condition,? he said.

The Nacionalista Party said the NBI should focus its efforts on law enforcement rather than look into the leak of confidential information in connection with Ms Arroyo?s breast implant.

The President finally reported for work Tuesday even as Malacañang officials indicated they wanted to ?move on? from the breast implant controversy.

First public appearance

In her first public appearance after a three-week absence, Ms Arroyo turned up at the Strategic Conference on Social Welfare and Protection at the Heroes? Hall, and awarding of the Country?s Outstanding Policemen in Service at the Ceremonial Hall in white blazers and pants.

She later presided over a command conference at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in the same outfit, but this time matched it with white-rimmed glasses.

?She?s in high spirits. She has had marathon meetings today,? Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in an ambush interview.

Ms Arroyo went on a 13-day trip to Japan, Brazil, Colombia and Hong Kong beginning June 17. She arrived on Monday night last week and canceled all itinerary for the week as she went on quarantine at Asian Hospital and Medical Center on Tuesday night.

Move on

Remonde declined to comment on the investigation by the NBI of the supposed leakage of information about Ms Arroyo?s medical procedure at Asian Hospital and Medical Center to reporters.

?Insofar as Malacañang is concerned, we want to move on and focus on more important tasks at hand,? he said.

?The issue here is the health, and I think that it has been established that the President is in good health,? Reports said. With reports from Niña Catherine Calleja and Norman Bordadora