Romualdez's lead physician: No emergency, invasive procedure set for ex-Speaker - GMA Network
Dr. Rosalio Torres, the overall coordinator of the medical team of Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, said Friday that the former House Speaker does not have any scheduled surgery or invasive medical procedure.
Torres made the testimony during Day 2 of the hearing on Romualdez's motion seeking hospital detention amid a P7.4 billion plunder case leveled against him over alleged links to flood control mess.
"None at the moment," Torres said when asked by the prosecution panel if there is any immediate surgery or invasive medical procedure scheduled to be done on Romualdez.
But when asked to confirm if there is no serious threat to the life of Romualdez that needs immediate intervention, Torres disagreed.
"I do not agree with the statement, based on the evaluation and recommendation as discussed with my consulting specialists, cardiologist, neurologist, and psychologist," Torres said.
Dr. Rody Sy, cardiologist of Romualdez, also testified that the lawmaker would need to be brought to a "hospital with angiographic facilities within one hour" in the event that the lawmaker suffers a heart attack.
Also on Friday, Dr. Kurt Sibayan, the admitting physician of Cardinal Santos Medical Center, clarified that he did not need to conduct an examination on Romualdez since his attending physicians were already there.
Sibayan made the clarification a day after he testified in court that the attending physicians of Romualdez advised them that they were not allowed inside the patient's room.
"The attending physicians are already there. It wasn't necessary for me to be there [to examine him]," Sibayan said during the questioning of Romualdez's counsel, Judd Roy III.
Asked by Roy if he was ordered to stay away, Sibayan replied "No."
It was Sibayan who prepared the clinical abstract of Romualdez, which was done by 8:15 p.m. of September 7, the same day that the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of the lawmaker and his three other co-accused.
Sibayan also told the anti-graft court that his medical abstract on Romualdez was verified by the attending physicians of Romualdez, namely cardiologist Dr. Rody Sy, hematologist Dr. Rosalio Torres, and neurologist Dr.Rogelio Libarres, as well as hospitalist identified by Sibayan as Dr. Kevin Yahot.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Ronald Moreno pointed out that Dr. Torres did not sign the medical abstract and raised doubt on whether Sibayan should be believed.
Sibayan responded by saying that the justices can ask Romualdez's attending physicians for clarification.
Romualdez was arrested while confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center on September 7.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division already issued an order setting Romualdez's detention at the New Quezon City jail in Payatas. —AOL, GMA News
