Hospital or house arrest for Enrile possible

MANILA, Philippines - The team of medical doctors from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on Monday recommended that Senator Juan Ponce Enrile remain confined at a hospital while the plunder and graft cases against him are being tried before the Sandiganbayan.

Taking the witness stand, PGH medical director Dr. Jose Gonzales told the Sandiganbayan's 3rd Division that further examinations should be done on Enrile while the Court is still deciding on the senator's plea for hospital arrest.

Gonzales, reading the recommendations of the PGH medical team that examined and reviewed Enrile's previous hospital records, cited that the 90-year-old senator has several ailments including uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, and irregular heartbeat.

He said that all of the recommended medical procedures to determine the state of condition of Enrile should be "performed in a hospital setting."

Gonzales said that based on Enrile's medical records, the senator has been taking 22 different medications to keep his ailments in check.

Enrile is now confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame while awaiting trial of the corruption charges filed against him by the governent in connection with the pork barrel scam.

During the court proceedings, Associate Justice Alex Quiroz said that the findings of the PGH doctors on Enrile was "without certainty" that a stressful event "may lead to fatal or non-fatal attacks."

Gonzales, however, argued that medicine is "not an exact science like Math."

Another member of the court's 3rd Division, Associate Justice Samuel Martires, suggested that it will be better for Enrile to be given a house arrest because being confined in a hospital could also be stressful.

When Enrile's lawyer, Estelito Mendoza, asked Gonzales could still be able to escape from detention given his medical condition, the PGH director said the senator has a problem moving around on his own.

"He has a problem with ambulation. He needs assistance in every move...I don't think he is a candidate for walkathon or any running contest," Gonzales said.

The plea of Enrile's camp for hospital arrest has been submitted for resolution.