Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center 📸: PNP-CIDG via Karen de Guzman, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (5th UPDATE) — The Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to be transferred to the UP-Philippine General Hospital on Saturday, Sept. 12 to undergo an independent examination on his health condition.
“The court deems it proper to direct an independent examination… to verify the medical examination conducted by accused Romualdez's doctors at Cardinal and to determine whether there is a necessity for his continued confinement at a medical facility,” the order read.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), with the assistance of the PNP and the Office of the Judiciary Marshals, were ordered by the court to bring Romaldez to UP-PGH using an ambulance with the required medical equipment, for the congressman’s medical examination at 10:00 in the morning.
The court directed Dr. Gerardo D. Legaspi, Director of the UP-PGH or any of his authorized representatives to conduct the medical exam “without the direct or indirect participation or influence” of Romualdez's doctors at Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
They were also told to submit a report and recommendation to the court by Sunday, Sept. 13, and testify on the next day. The hearing on Sept. 14 is set to tackle Romualdez’s need for continued hospital confinement.
Romualdez is set to remain in UP-PGH until further orders from the court.
The court noted that it will dispel any perception that the grant of hospitalization for any accused is based on their status, position, wealth, or influence.
“Every accused is entitled to the same rights, protection, and humane treatment afforded to every person in custody. But he or she is likewise subject to the same rules and conditions of detention applicable to others similarly situated. Justice must apply the same standard to everyone who comes before this court,” the order read.
Ade Fajardo, counsel of Romualdez, said he is concerned with the risks of transferring his client to another facility.
"‘Yun ang principal concern... we wish na wala mangyaring masama,” Fajardo said.
He said the hearing conducted on Sept. 10 to 11, which tackled their motion for hospital confinement, established that his client’s health conditions were not faked.
“Hindi ito pinepeke, ito ay totoo. Nagkaroon na ng previous surgical operations, nagkaron na ng mga silent strokes, documented po lahat ‘yan at di po namin pinepeke. Imposible,” Fajardo said.
4 to 6-WEEK WAIT
Dr. Rody Sy, a cardiologist at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, returned to the witness stand on Friday to explain Romualdez’s medical condition.
Associate Justice Karl Miranda disclosed that Sy is also his cardiologist for over two decades.
“I trusted him with my life, I will continue to trust him with my life. I know him very well. He’s a true patriot… our relationship as patient and doctor would never allow my judgment and duty as justice,” Miranda said.
Sy recommended 4 to 6 weeks before allowing Romualdez to be transferred to another facility for independent evaluation.
“Four to six weeks? Minumura na po kami ng tao,” Associate Justice Ronald Moreno replied in jest.
Sy said transferring Romualdez to another facility at this time poses risks and would be viewed as “professional recklessness.”
“He (Romualdez) has a coronary condition. If he develops an acute episode or attack, he will need [to be in a medical institution with] angiographic facilities within one hour,” he said.
He said there was a 10 to 20 percent chance that an untoward incident could occur during the immediate transfer.
However, he said he does not object to the transfer at a “proper time” to a facility with complete equipment.
Sy noted that Romualdez was “cardiovascularly stable” when he examined him on the first and second days of his confinement.
He explained that this meant Romualdez had acceptable blood pressure and normal electrocardiogram results at the time. He added that there was no evidence of ischemia or reduced blood flow and oxygen in the electrocardiogram results of Romualdez last July.
Cerebrovascular ischemic disease, a condition that affects blood flow to the brain, was one of the diseases indicated in Romualdez’s clinical abstract, which it submitted to the court for its urgent motion for hospital confinement.
However, Sy said that Romualdez’s blood pressure spiked up to 170/110 at around 5 p.m. on Thursday, which caused him to advance his medication and for the psychiatrist to double his sleeping meds.
The doctor told the court he was certain that the congressman’s elevated blood pressure was related to stress.
The court previously ordered Romualdez to appear on Thursday, but he was not cleared by his doctors at the time.
ROMUALDEZ ‘VERY DEPRESSED,’ NOT SLEEPING WELL
Dr. Rogelio Libarnes, a neurologist at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, said Romualdez has not been sleeping well and is “emotionally-absent,” which he said are factors that could raise the risk of stroke.
He said continuity of care is important especially since Romualdez is currently “very depressed.”
Dr. Lourdes Ignacio, the hospital’s psychiatrist, also said she is concerned that Romualdez’s depression may aggravate his other health conditions.
”In depression, he’s not gonna be able to manage his constitutional state so it will affect his whole system, and I’m afraid that it will pose a high risk,” Ignacio said.
She agreed with the prosecution that government psychiatrists are equally capable of administering former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s medications.
However, she said Romualdez’s “total health picture” should be considered.
Associate Justice Miranda then asked Dr. Henry Fabro, a BJMP doctor, if they had sufficient facilities at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas to assist patients with anxiety and depression.
Fabro answered in the affirmative, saying they were catering to around 40 psychiatric patients in their facility.
Miranda encouraged Fabro to write their facility and equipment requests to the Department of Budget and Management to better cater the needs of persons deprived of liberty with mental health concerns.
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