Napoles now in own docs’ hands

By: Jaymee T. Gamil - 11 years ago

Janet Lim-Napoles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The personal physicians of Janet Lim-Napoles and the doctors of Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) have set the ground rules for the treatment of the uterine cyst of the suspected pork barrel scam mastermind at the city-run hospital.

In a press briefing after a meeting yesterday afternoon, OsMak medical director Perry Ishmael Peralta said the care of Napoles had already been turned over to her seven requested doctors from St. Luke’s Medical Center and the OsMak doctors will simply “exercise oversight.”

Last April 2, Napoles was allowed by the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 to bring in her chosen team of private doctors to attend to her at the government-run OsMak, where she is confined for uterine myoma.

Napoles is currently detained for serious illegal detention charges filed against her at the Makati court by her cousin and former employee, pork barrel scam principal whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

“The private doctors are holding the baton. They will be the ones directly involved in the care and treatment of Mrs. Napoles,” Peralta said.

“The six-person OsMak medical team will exercise oversight, as mandated by the court. We will monitor and observe the procedures to be done, the management delivered and the treatment afforded to Mrs. Napoles. But … the chair of our obstetrics-gynecology department will participate actively in the care, management and treatment of Mrs. Napoles,” Peralta said.

Peralta said present at Friday’s meeting were Napoles’ lawyer, two relatives and her main attending physicians, Elsie Badeo-Pascua and Efren Domingo. The other doctors requested by Napoles were Leo Aquilizan, Michael Lim-Villa, Nick Cruz and a yet unnamed anesthesiologist and pulmonologist, all from St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.