Osmak : No VIP treatment to Napoles

MANILA, Philippines - There is no VIP or special treatment given to businesswoman Janet Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam, at the Ospital ng Makati, her attending doctor said on Tuesday.

During a press conference at the OsMak, Dr. Ismael Peralta said that hospital personnel are treating Napoles like any other patients confined at the medical facility.

"She's not affecting the other patients. We have protocols. There is no VIP treatment, based on the principle how the hospital is being operated... hindi napapababayaan yung ibang pasyente namin," Peralta said, noting that there is no dedicated nurse assigned to Napoles.

Peralta added that the entrances and exits of the building are being manned by hospital guards.

"If you notice, all entrances all exits are manned by our security personnel... yung internal security, we leave it up to security team deployed or assigned to Mrs. Napoles," he said.

He said that the room of the hospital where Napoles is staying is "very basic."

"The room is very basic with bed, toilet and bath," Peralta said.

He said that there is no category or class in the hospital as single occupancy or pay ward.

Basically, the rooms with single occupants have special use such as those who undergo chemo-theraphy or with some slight infections, Peralta said.

He said that he could not divulge details on the medical procedures to be done on Napoles who has been complaining of persistent abdominal pain.

"I cannot divulge any information on the treatment...we are not only looking at problem of a reproductive organ...based on initial plan, may procedure na kaming gagawin bago yung medical procedure mismo," he said, noting the patient-doctor confidentiality clause.

Napoles was escorted to Osmak Monday night from her detention cell at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna after a Makati City court allowed her to undergo surgery for her medical condition.

Napoles has been detained for illegal detention charges filed by pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy.