Sin suffers heart attack

Retired Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin suffered a heart attack yesterday afternoon and was confined at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Greenhills, San Juan.

As of press time, the 76-year-old prelate was in stable condition, according to Fr. Rufino Sescon, who has been caring for the cardinal.

"He is under observation. Let us continue to pray for him," Sescon said in a text message.

Sin was reportedly undergoing dialysis at the hospital when he suffered the heart attack. The cardinal’s kidney ailment requires him to undergo regular dialysis.

Peachy Yamsuan, director of the Manila Archdiocesan Office of Communications, said that the cardinal was brought to the hospital at 4 p.m.

"There is still no official word on the cause (of the heart attack) and his present medical condition. We will try to get a medical bulletin from his attending physician as soon as possible," Yamsuan said.

When reached by The STAR through his mobile phone, Dr. Ramon Sin, the cardinal’s brother, said he was still unaware of the prelate’s condition. He referred The STAR to an attending physician at the hospital.

Sin, an influential figure in Philippine politics, was also rushed to the hospital last year after he collapsed while saying Mass during Holy Week.

Sin was last seen in public on Aug. 31, his birthday, when he handed out land titles to indigent families living in a village named after him in Punta Santa Ana, Manila. He was in a wheelchair and spoke very little.

Old age and illness have visibly caught up with the cardinal who has helped shape the Philippines’ political landscape.

After reaching the retirement age of 75, Sin stepped down last November as head of the Manila archdiocese he had served for nearly three decades.

Afflicted with kidney problems and diabetes, Sin has considerably reduced his public appearances in recent years but has remained a steadfast guardian of democracy.

Sin led the predominant Catholic church through one of the country’s most politically turbulent periods, emerging as one of Asia’s most prominent religious leaders and advocates of democracy.

Known for his vocal stance on many issues, Sin called on Filipinos to surround the police and military headquarters of Camps Crame and Aguinaldo in Quezon City in 1986 to protect then-military vice chief of staff Fidel Ramos and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who broke away from dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

That led to the "people power" revolution which ousted Marcos over alleged corruption and human rights violations.

The largely peaceful revolt became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989.

Sin also helped lead large street protests that led to the ouster of President Joseph Estrada over alleged corruption and misrule three years ago. Estrada, now under house arrest in his resthouse in Tanay, Rizal province while on trial for plunder, has denied any wrongdoing.

Although revered by many Filipinos, Sin came under criticism for his political advocacies. He had a thorny relationship with ex-President Fidel Ramos, a Protestant whose 1992-98 administration promoted the use of artificial birth control.

Sin, the 14th of 16 children of a Chinese merchant and a Filipino woman, advocated only natural birth control.

"Politics without Christ is the greatest scourge of our nation," Sin said in his retirement speech last year.

Sin retired in November 2003 after 29 years as Manila archbishop. He was succeeded by former Lipa archbishop, Gaudencio Rosales. — With AFP