Ex-Batangas governor suffers brain hemorrhage

Batangas City , Philippines  – Doctors placed former Batangas governor and Nacionalista Party gubernatorial bet Armand Sanchez under a 72-hour critical watch due to brain hemorrhage yesterday, a day after he lost consciousness.

In his second medical bulletin, Dr. Isagani Bolompo, official medical spokesman for the Sanchez family, said “over-fatigue plus the hot weather with hypoglycaemia aggravated by severe hypertension” led to the rupture of a vessel in Sanchez’s brain.

Bolompo said neurosurgeons Dr. Asis Encarnacion and Dr. Leo Salud, assisted by several surgical residents of the Mary Mediatrix Hospital, conducted a three-hour “decompression craniotomy with evacuation of intracranial hematoma” on Sanchez.

Asked about the chances of Sanchez’s survival after the operation, Bolompo said, “Actually based on (medical) books, there is only five to 10 percent survival rate with this kind of operation which was also validated by Dr. Encarnacion.”

Bolompo said Sanchez was in coma but showed signs of reaction from his reflexes. The former governor was still in the Intensive Care Unit as of press time.

Bolompo said Sanchez, who had lingering diabetes and hypertension, suffered a stroke six years ago.

Sanchez was about to meet employees, feed millers and some of his supporters at the Ladeco Feedmill Inc. in Barangay Sabang here when he suddenly lost consciousness at around 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Sanchez is running against incumbent Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto of the Liberal Party.