Jinggoy seeks medical checkup for shoulder pain

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Detained former Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division to allow him to leave detention for a medical checkup involving an aching shoulder.

In a motion dated May 11, Estrada complained of “extreme” pain in his right shoulder. His lawyers asked the antigraft court for permission to go to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City for “immediate medical attention.”

The 54-year-old actor-politician has been detained since June 2014, after he was formally charged by the Ombudsman in the Sandiganbayan for obtaining P183.8 million in kickbacks upon endorsing foundations to implement projects funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations.

The foundations were set up by Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Estrada’s motion did not specify any date, only stating that he needed to leave detention “immediately.” It stated that as far back as April 2016, he has suffered pain “that has not been relieved by rest and medications.”

‘Frozen shoulder’

His camp said he did not immediately seek medical attention then because he initially found the pain “bearable.”

His pain is now similar to what he experienced in November 2014 when Dr. Tyrone Reyes diagnosed him with calcific tendinitis-adhesive capsulitis (an inflammation of the connective tissue also known as “frozen shoulder”), it said.

Back then, the Sandiganbayan allowed him to undergo therapy sessions.

While disclaiming that it should not be interpreted as self-examination, Estrada’s camp said his condition might require arthroscopic surgery if it continued to be painful.

The former senator left detention on April 19 to attend the 80th birthday celebration of his father, former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.