Lumbao hospitalized for hypertension

The arrested president of the pro-Estrada group People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) was rushed to a hospital at Camp Crame in Quezon City the other night for high blood pressure, a police official said yesterday.

Ronaldo Lumbao was taken to Camp Crame General Hospital at around 11 p.m. Friday night after his blood pressure shot up, said the police official who asked not to be named.

Lumbao’s blood presssure reportedly soared upon learning that he would be sharing his detention room with an Indonesian terrorist suspect, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, who was recently convicted of illegal possession of explosives.

Lumbao was discharged late yesterday afternoon after his blood pressure normalized. He was brought back to the office of the PNP Intelligence Group where he is being detained.

The official said Lumbao, 30, was detained in an airconditioned room to prevent his high blood pressure from shooting up again.

"We have to do this even thought it looks like we’re pampering him because something might happen to him and we would be blamed," the official said.

Security remains tight around the sprawling Philippine National Police headquarters in the wake of protests from PMAP demonstrators.

Lumbao faces rebellion charges for allegedly leading 5,000 Estrada loyalists during the May 1 siege of Malacañang in a bid to topple the fledling Arroyo administration. Four people died in the rioting.

He then went into hiding until he was arrested in his house in Novaliches, Quezon City at around 2:30 a.m. last Thursday. Immediately after his arrest, he was taken to the Manila regional trial court and indicted on rebellion charges. Rebellion is a non-bailable offense.

Anti-riot police briefly scuffled with about 100 PMAP members protesting Lumbao’s arrest outside the courthouse.

Last Friday, Lumbao was calm while waiting to be taken to his detention cell, the police source said. He then because uneasy when told that he would be sharing his quarters with al-Ghozi.

"He was about to be locked up with al-Ghozi the other night and subjected to a medical check when his blood pressure shot up. We had to bring to the hospital," the source said.

Lumbao’s wife, Liza, complained about the tight watch over them. She said she and her husband could not even discuss private matters because their conversations are being monitored by guards.

Chief Superintendent Roberto Delfin, chief of the PNP Intelligence Group, said Lumbao should be tightly guarded because he is a high-profile suspect and has many followers.

Lumbao was arrested on the day former President Joseph Estrada was arrested last year for corruption and embezzlement charges.

Estrada was ousted in January 2000 in a military-backed popular protest following his aborted impeachment trial on plunder charges, and was replaced by then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Hours after Lumbao’s arrest, 40 police officers were sent to secure the EDSA Shrine, where thousands of Estrada loyalists massed last year that culminated in the siege of the presidential palace.

Estrada loyalists plan to peacefully commemorate the anniversary of the bloody Labor Day riot.

Government security forces are on the alert after an alleged plot by a group of Estrada loyalists to stage a repeat of the Malacañang siege. Police said Estrada loyalists would be allowed to hold their planned rallies on Wednesday as long as they remained peaceful. Rally organizers have appealed to Estrada supporters to avoid violence.