PNP doctor says they can do ultrasound on Napoles

MANILA, Philippines - The Camp Crame General Hospital can perform the transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) on alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, who is asking for a hospital arrest due to a possible ovarian tumor.

Taking the witness stand at the hearing of Napoles' urgent motion to conduct medical examination at the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150, Senior Inspector Michael Angelo Luna, told the court that the hospital at Camp Crame have the faciity, equipment and the needed obstetrician and gynecologist for the TVS procedure.

Luna is the police doctor assigned by the Philippine National Police to Napoles, who is currently detained at at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, on charges of serious illegal detention filed by pork barrel scam lead whistleblower Benhur Luy.

Luna told the court that the hospital at Camp Crame can also perform the needed blood tests on Napoles such as the Prothrombin Time Bloodtest (to measure the time for plasma or the liquid portion of blood to clot) and the Partial Thromboplastin Time bloodtest (to determine if blood thinning therapy is effective).

Luna said that it would take only one day for all the needed tests to be done on Napoles, including the TVS.

Last February 18, Napoles, through her lawyer Fay Isaguirre Singson, asked the local court to allow her to be confined at the St. Luke's Hospital at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City to undergo a thorough and comprehensive medical examination for a possible ovarian tumor.

In the four-page "Urgent Motion To Conduct Medical Examination," Singson asked the court that the examination and TVS be done by Napoles' Obsterician and Gynecologist (OB-GYN) Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua at the St. Luke's Global City.

Singson narrated in the urgent motion that last October 24, Napoles was rushed by her police guards to the emergency room of the Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center due to severe abdominal pains. Prior to this, Singson said Napoles had been complaining of profuse menstrual bleeding for nine consecutive days.

The lawyer said that last December 14, Napoles' endocrinologist from St. Luke's Global City, Dr. Michael Lim Villa examined Napoles at Fort Sto. Domingo after she had complained of hypoglycemia, drastic weight loss, chest pains, severe abdominal pains and profuse menstrual beelding.

Singson said that when Napoles showed Villa the results of her CT Scan dated Oct. 24, 2013, Villa said there is an indication int he CT scan that she had ovarian tumor. Villa then suggested that Napoles be examined by Pascua.

Singson said that it was Pascua who recommended further gynecological work up, a transvaginal ultrasound examination, a comprehensive medical check-up as well as the admission of Napoles to a reputable hospital to conduct the same.

"These comprehensive examinations and medical procedures cannot be conducted inside Fort Sto. Domingo, where accused is currently detained, for lack of facilities," said Singson.

Singson said Napoles was constrained to file the urgent motion after her petition for bail and the later motion for reconsideration were denied by the court.

"Despite the medical advice as of December 19, 2013, of Dr. Pascua for the comprehensive gynelogical work up and transvaginal ultrasound examination of herein accused, she opted to suffer in silence and endure the pain in solitude, in order to spare her fsmily from worrying, as well as to avoid unecessary media attention. Considering further that at that time, accused has a pending petition for bail, she was hoping that should it be granted, her temporary liberty would enable her undergo such tests. Unfortunately, her petition for bail has been denied. And very recently, on February 13, 2014, her motion for reconsideration on the petition has been denied as well. So much that accused is constrained to file this instant motion," said Singson in the urgent motion.

Singson added that should confinement be suggested by her doctor, Napoles requests that she be allowed by the court to be placed under "hospital arrest" at the St. Luke's Hospital at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.