Government plan to foot Arroyo hospital bill questioned

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

A lawmaker on Wednesday questioned the government’s decision to foot the bill for the hospitalization of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City while she is on trial for election sabotage when the poor have been deprived of access to basic health services.

“The government’s willingness to throw in millions of pesos for the hospital expenses of Gloria Arroyo in VMMC is offensive as it highlights the way government threw a sackful of salt to the lingering wound of basic health services for marginalized Filipinos when it allocated a mere P1.17 per day per person for the health budget,” said Gabriela Representative Emmi De Jesus.

“While they are willing to spend for the hospital arrest of a former President who has been accused of plunder, electoral sabotage and human rights violations because she is sick, the poor who are suffering from basic ailments hardly receive quality and proper medical attention from any government hospital. Where lies social justice?” De Jesus asked.

She said Arroyo, who was being treated at a suite costing P50,000 a day at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, could very well pick up the tab at VMMC.

De Jesus reminded Mr. Aquino that while he had been espousing justice for all, the case of Arroyo was a glaring example of the disregard for the principles of justice and equality.

Arroyo had been given by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court until Friday to stay under hospital arrest in St. Luke’s as the room at the VMMC was still being spruced up for the former leader.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, would have to pay for the services of her doctors at St. Luke’s, should she decide to retain them.

Dr. Nona Legaspi, VMMC director, said the hospital had never charged its VIP patients, including presidents, their relations and other prominent political figures, for the use of the presidential suite.

“There’s no rate ever because it’s not used by the public,” Legaspi earlier said at a briefing in Camp Crame, where she represented VMMC at a meeting with various agencies to discuss security arrangements for Arroyo’s transfer.

But she said VMMC would bill the Department of the Interior and Local Government for utility costs and miscellaneous expenses that would be incurred during Arroyo’s stay there.