Former UP president Nemenzo in ICU

MANILA, Philippines - Political scientist, activist and former University of the Philippines (UP) president Francisco Nemenzo Jr. has “lapsed into stupor” and is currently confined at the intensive care unit of the Philippine General Hospital.

Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te – a law professor at the university prior to joining the high court – shared an update yesterday from Nemenzo’s daughter-in-law, Marivic Raquiza.

“He is critically ill with bacterial meningitis, a life-threatening, relatively rare infection affecting the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This caused him to have high fever and seizures and to lapse into stupor,” the update read.

“While he has been stabilized, (his) condition remains critical and guarded,” it added.

Raquiza said Nemenzo, who served as university president from 1999 to 2005, has been hospitalized since Dec. 29, 2014.

 “He is being given antibiotics, insulin, intravenous fluids, anti-convulsants and other supportive treatment including tube feeding and ventilator support,” read the update.

“As he is a diabetic and elderly, his immune system is weakened; thus, all appropriate interventions to help him fight the infection are being applied,” it added.

Raquiza said the next few days are crucial, and that no visitors other than his immediate family are allowed at this time.

Nemenzo is a professor emeritus of UP-Diliman’s political science department.

He also previously served as chancellor of UP Visayas, the dean of the then UP Diliman College of Arts and Sciences, and as faculty regent.