Ombudsman wants Revilla checked by gov’t doctors

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman prosecutors want detained Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. to be examined first by a government doctor before the Sandiganbayan considers his request to undergo medical tests and overnight stay at the St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Revilla, who is facing a plunder charge for his alleged involvement in the pork barrel fund scam, has scheduled an overnight stay at St. Luke’s in Taguig on Nov. 17.

In a comment to Revilla’s motion to undergo medical tests, prosecutors said his claim of suffering from migraine, uncontrolled hypertension, dyslipidemina and lumbo-sachral radiculopathy secondary to spondylosis is only attested to by his personal physician.

Prosecutors noted that Revilla has not been examined by a government doctor who can verify and attest that he is indeed suffering from health problems.

Ombudsman lawyers also said there is no explanation as to why the medical tests needed would require an overnight stay at the SLMC Taguig.

They argued that Revilla can undergo magnetic resonance imaging, ECG, stress tests and blood chemistry examination as an out-patient.

Ombudsman lawyers said Revilla’s motion should be denied, but if the anti-graft court grants it, the prosecution would ask that the medical checkup be carried out on Revilla as an out-patient.

Revilla’s doctor, Ma. Cristina Macrohon-Valdez, said earlier that the lawmaker is “complaining of cough and colds associated with generalized body malaise for one week on top of recurrent migraine headaches.”

“I therefore recommend a full medical work-up and consultation with other respective specialists as soon as possible to address his current medical illness, so as to prevent further complications,” the neurology and stroke specialist noted in a medical certificate.