Sandigan orders transfer of Romualdez to PGH

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division has ordered the transfer of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to the Philippine General Hospital for an independent medical examination to determine whether his continued hospital confinement is necessary.

The transfer order comes as the former speaker faces a P7.4-billion plunder charge over alleged anomalous flood control projects.

The anti-graft court directed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, with the assistance of the Philippine National Police and the Office of the Judiciary Marshals, to bring Romualdez from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where he is currently confined, to PGH of the University of the Philippines for his medical exam set today at 10 a.m.

“Considering the concerns raised on the medical condition of accused Romualdez, the court deems it proper to direct an independent examination of accused Romualdez at the UP-PGH to verify the medical examination conducted by accused Romualdez’s doctors at Cardinal Santos and to determine whether there is a necessity for his continued confinement at a medical facility,” Third Division chairman Associate Justice Karl Miranda said in open court.

UP-PGH director Gerardo Legazpi or any of his representatives were tasked to conduct a medical examination “without the direct or indirect participation or influence” of the doctors of Romualdez at Cardinal Santos.

They are likewise directed to submit a report and recommendation regarding the exam to the court by Sept. 13 and testify on its contents on Sept. 14, particularly on whether there is an “imperative” need for Romualdez’s continued hospital confinement.

The court said Romualdez will stay in PGH and be attended by its doctors until further orders from the court.

Miranda further said that while the court respects legitimate medical needs and will not hesitate to allow hospital confinement to accused persons requiring it, such hospitalization should “rest purely on medical necessity.”

“It must be very careful and dispel any perception that the grant of hospitalization was based on the status, position, wealth or influence of the accused,” he said. “Justice must apply the same standard to everyone who comes before this court.”

The former speaker has asked the court to allow him to remain confined at Cardinal Santos under lawful custody, claiming he is suffering from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, unstable angina, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular ischemic disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia and primary hypothyroidism.

He has been confined there since Sept. 7 after reportedly suffering an anxiety attack and a “cardiovascular event.”

At a press briefing, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said a public hospital is the right place for Romualdez, as he urged the former speaker not to resort to hospital arrest.

“It’s sad that they want different rules to apply to him. Don’t be like that. We stand by the rule of law in this country and we don’t want people to have special treatment. Justice should be equal for rich and poor people,” Remulla said.

“Man up to it. You should have a lot of pride and dignity in your person. Not like that as if you are faking,” he added, addressing Romualdez.

The camp of Romualdez expressed concern on his transfer, citing his doctors’ testimony on the high risk of having a heart attack and having only a short window of time to address medical emergencies.

“It has been established that he has a pre-existing condition. This is not being faked. This is true. He’s had previous surgical operations, silent strokes. It’s all documented, never fabricated. It’s impossible. These doctors are sworn to their oath, they were here to tell the truth,” Romualdez’s spokesman Ade Fajardo said.

During the hearing on the lawmaker’s motion for continued hospital confinement, his cardiologist Dr. Rody Sy said the immediate transfer of Romualdez would be viewed as “professional recklessness” on the part of his doctors, advising to wait four to six weeks before moving him to another facility.

Associate Justice Ronald Moreno, however, rebuffed the timeline suggested by the physician.

“Four to six weeks? The man is already mocking us,” he said in jest.

Sy testified that Romualdez’s blood pressure reached as high as 170/110 on Sept. 10, prompting his doctors to adjust the level of medicines given to him.

Dr. Rosalio Torres, the overall coordinator and hematologist at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, testified that Romualdez has no scheduled surgery or any invasive medical procedure at the moment.

Romualdez’s psychiatrist Dr. Lourdes Ignacio, on the other hand, said the former speaker has been diagnosed with depressive disorder with anxiety.

She said she has prescribed oral medications and regular mindful sessions to Romualdez to manage his condition.

She also said depression is related to Romualdez’s other existing heart and brain-related ailments.

Dr. Kurt Sibayan, the admitting physician, also clarified his earlier testimony that he did not physically see and examine Romualdez when he was brought to the hospital on Sept. 7, saying that he did not need to conduct an examination since his attending physicians were already there.

It was Sibayan who prepared the medical abstract of Romualdez, which was verified by attending physicians Sy, Torres and neurologist Dr. Rogelio Libarnes, as well as hospitalist identified by Sibayan as Dr. Kevin Yahot.

Sibayan, however, confirmed that he found it unusual that the abstract for Romualdez was issued a few hours before his admission on Sept. 7, saying a staff of the lawmaker asked him through Yahot to create the clinical abstract.

He said a clinical abstract is usually issued upon the patient’s discharge.

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