Jinggoy Estrada gets hospital checkup

Former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada steps out of the police van that brought him to the Sandiganbayan in this file photo taken on Monday, July 17, 2017, the first day of the trial for his plunder case. MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB / INQUIRER.net

The Sandiganbayan has granted detained former Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada’s plea for a 48-hour furlough to undergo videocolonoscopy, after he was found to have elevated levels of carcinoembryonic antigens.

Estrada was allowed to undergo the medical procedure at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center from 8 a.m. on July 27 until 8 a.m. of July 29, despite objections from the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a two-page minute resolution dated July 25, the court’s Fifth Division directed Estrada to leave the San Juan City hospital “as soon as the procedures are terminated.” His lawyers were also told to furnish the court with a copy of the examination results.

The 54-year-old actor-politician was ordered to shoulder the expenses to be incurred by the Philippine National Police for personal escorts and other security measures.

The use of communications and electronic gadgets by Estrada and his companions was placed under the control and supervision of the detailed PNP security. The court prohibited media and other interviews.

The minute resolution was signed by Associate Justices Rafael R. Lagos, Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega and Bayani H. Jacinto.

High levels of carcinoembryonic antigens are typically found in the blood of persons with cancer of the large intestine.

Estrada told reporters in a July 17 interview that when he had a checkup at his detention cell in Camp Crame, “there were abnormalities but as far as my blood chemistries are concerned, it’s normal.”

Estrada faces a plunder case for allegedly receiving P183.8 million in kickbacks in exchange for diverting his Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel allocations to fake foundations set up by suspected pork scam mastermind Janet Napoles. He also faces 11 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

He has been detained at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, for the past three years, after the Ombudsman charged him with plunder before the Sandiganbayan in June 2014.