Senator Jinggoy Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Monday asked the Sandiganbayan’s permission for him to have thrice-a-week therapy session for his shoulder pains even as he is detained for plunder over the pork barrel scam.
In a manifestation filed in open court, Estrada’s camp said the lawmaker was recommended by his doctors to undergo a therapy program coupled with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the left shoulder. They claimed Estrada is also suffering from mild bulging of the cervical spine and adhesive capsulitis.
“Senator Estrada will need to undergo supervised therapy program two to three times a week for two to four weeks that can be done in a sufficiently equipped physical therapy department. This can be done at Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital at San Juan City for sessions lasting two to three hours,” the manifestation read.
The anti-graft court fifth division adopted the manifestation as a motion for Estrada’s therapy. It gave the prosecution five days to comment.
In the manifestation, Estrada said he would also need to undergo a therapy program using the following equipment: hydrocollator, ultrasound, transcutaneous nerve stimulation and cervical traction up to 40 pounds.
Senators Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr. face plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam, the alleged diversion of the senators’ Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to ghost projects for kickbacks under the scheme of accused mastermind and co-accused Janet Lim-Napoles.
Revilla and Estrada are detained at the PNP Custodial Center, while Napoles is locked up at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-administered jail in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. Meanwhile, the 90-year-old Enrile is under hospital detention.