MANILA, Philippines—Having to stay overnight at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City was a matter of life and death for detained “pork” barrel scam suspect Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., but the lawmaker said he would be willing to endure his illnesses if the court rejects his motion.
In a statement on Thursday, Revilla denied allegations that his motion for an overnight hospital stay was a prelude to hospital detention as he faces the non-bailable offense of plunder.
“There is no mention of hospital arrest in my motion. This was only invented and blown out of proportions by the prosecutors,” Revilla said in Filipino.
Sen. Bong Revilla. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
He added that it was not his desire to have an overnight check-up but it was the Philippine National Police which admitted its hospital in Camp Crame is not equipped to conduct the necessary medical tests for coughs, colds and persistent migraines.
“If the court does not allow me, I am left with no option but to face my illness even if it worsens and results in my death,” Revilla said.
“I have no fault in this. It is only right if they allow me to find the remedy to my illness. But if they don’t, I can’t do anything but to endure my illness,” he added in Filipino.
State prosecutors opposed Revilla’s motion, saying the detained lawmaker may instead be an outpatient instead of spending the night in the hospital.
They also said the supposed ailment of Revilla–persistent migraines and cough and colds–were diagnosed by his personal physician and not by a government doctor.
“Revilla has not been examined by a government physician who can verify and attest to the fact that he is indeed suffering from the medical conditions and that he must undergo further medical check up and diagnostic tests,” they said.
In a manifestation filed before the anti-graft’s first division, Revilla has asked the court to allow him overnight medical work-up and consultation set on November 17.
Dr. Ma. Cristina Macrohon-Valdez, in a medical certificate attached to the plea, said she was recommending “a full medical work-up and consultation with other respective specialists as soon as possible.. so as to prevent further complications.”
The certificate said Revilla is “complaining of coughs and colds associated with generalized body malaise for one week duration on top of recurrent migraine headaches.”
Revilla’s doctor set the check-up on November 17
In an earlier check-up, Revilla was diagnosed with the following medical problems: migraine headache, lumbo-sacral radiculopathy secondary to spondylosis, hypertension not well-controlled, and dyslipidemia.
Revilla had asked the court for him to have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for his persistent migraines.
Revilla faces plunder and graft charges for his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam, the purported diversion of senators’ Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to ghost projects for kickbacks. He is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center with fellow co-accused Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is in hospital detention for plunder.