Sandiganbayan orders Marcoleta’s transfer to QC jail; facility inspected

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Wednesday ordered the transfer of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas after doctors cleared him, ending his nine-day hospital arrest.

On July 6, the Third Division issued a warrant of arrest against Marcoleta and his three co-accused in connection with his plunder case over the P75 million campaign donation he received while serving as a party-list lawmaker, which state prosecutors said was not declared in his financial and campaign disclosures.

Instead of being taken to a jail facility, Marcoleta was admitted to the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) that same day after complaining of chest pains and hypertension.

He remained at the PNPGH before being transferred to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for an independent medical examination. After doctors cleared him, Marcoleta was brought to the anti-graft court and immediately transferred to jail.

Clad in an orange shirt, the senator did not grant an interview and only waved to the media before riding the elevator with his police escorts, who accompanied him to the jail facility.

Associate Justice Karl Miranda, Third Division chairperson, said the court issued the jail transfer based on the findings of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which cleared Marcoleta of mild pneumonia, and the PNPGH determination that the senator is now fit to travel.

“In view of the findings of the PGH and also of the Philippine National Police General Hospital, the court hereby orders the transfer of Marcoleta to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory,” Miranda said in his order.

PGH doctor Gerardo Legazpi told the court that Marcoleta has recovered from pneumonia and that his hypertension can be managed outside the hospital.

“The repeat x-ray shows normal findings. There are no signs of pneumonia anymore,” Legazpi said. “The complete blood count did not show signs of infection.”

“His [blood pressure] is historically high at 160 over 90, but it was already 140 over 80 with the medications,” he also said.

Legazpi also said the team of PGH doctors “unanimously agreed that there is no finding or medical condition that would require [Marcoleta’s] hospitalization.”

READ: BJMP: Marcoleta transferred to Quezon City Jail

READ: Ombudsman files plunder case vs Marcoleta in Sandiganbayan

Difference in findings

Miranda said the PNPGH found that Marcoleta had cardiomegaly, or heart enlargement, but this was not reflected in the PGH assessment.

Legazpi noted that while hypertension causes heart enlargement, this was not reflected in Marcoleta’s x-ray.

“We repeated the x-ray and checked the size of the heart, and it is not enlarged,” he said.

Medical exam thorough enough?

Marcoleta’s lawyer, Patrick Velez, asked Legazpi if the PGH doctors’ examination was “thorough enough,” noting that their team examined Marcoleta for only two hours, while the PNPGH took two days.

In response, Legazpi said, “I would say so because I supervise it; they are specialists.”

Velez also asked Legazpi if he had inspected the jail facility where the senator would be detained.

Miranda told Velez, “He (Legazpi) does not know because we did not ask the doctor to do so.”

Miranda said the court itself would inspect the jail facility.

Third Division Clerk of Court Atty. Dennis Pulma said the court arrived at the jail facility on Wednesday afternoon. /mcm