Roque justifies confinement at PGH

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he had been in bad shape when he was admitted to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) last week for COVID-19 treatment and denied the hospital had been influenced to take him in amid a shortage of hospital rooms. Roque had criticized as “unChristian” the question on how he was able to secure a hospital room at PGH despite the long line of patients outside its emergency rooms waiting to be admitted. But Roque said PGH did not tolerate influence peddling. “When I was admitted by my doctors, it was because the condition merited admission,” he told a press briefing. “In my case, I was in bad shape when I was admitted,” he added.

—Leila B. Salaverria