Court allows Gigi Reyes to undergo brain scan

By: Marc Jayson Cayabyab - 10 years ago

Lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan third division on Friday allowed accused pork scam suspect Atty. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes to undergo a brain scan after she hit her head during one of her episodes of anxiety attacks.

In a three-page decision, the court said Reyes is allowed to undergo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA) at the Philippine General Hospital at her own expense.

Reyes had asked the court to allow her to have a check-up for her facial spasm which she got after hitting her face on the wall.

In a motion filed before the anti-graft court on Monday, Reyes’ counsel said she suffered an anxiety attack which caused her to hit her head on the wall on August 5.

On August 17, Reyes suffered from “intermittent spasms of right eye lid and cheek” as well as “slurring of speech” with “slight deposit of saliva on right lip,” the motion said.

Reyes’ neurologist Dr. Martesio Perez said Reyes’ “right hemi facial spasm” may have been caused by a “pressure on the facial nerve by a tumor or an artery.”

Reyes then asked for the court’s permission for her to undergo MRI and MRA of the brain, and for her to consult with neurosurgeon Dr. Willy Lopez.

Reyes is the resigned chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. Both are accused for plunder over the pork barrel scam, the alleged diversion of public funds to ghost projects for kickbacks under the scheme of Janet Lim-Napoles.

Reyes had surrendered to the Sandiganbayan before she was taken to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology female dormitory in Camp Bagong Diwa.

She had been rushed to the hospital from jail as she claimed to be suffering from mixed anxiety disorder.

Enrile is in the Philippine National Police General Hospital under police custody. Those detained for plunder over the scam are Napoles, Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Revilla’s aide Richard Cambe.