Doctors advise Miriam to avoid politics after mild stroke

MANILA, Philippines - Doctors of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago advised the politician "to disengage in politics" and avoid political news after the senator suffered a mild stroke on Wednesday.

“Technically, Senator Santiago suffered a mild stroke after her TV interview. Fortunately, the stroke went to her eye instead of her brain. If she continues as usual, a second stroke will be imminent,” Santiago’s ophthalmologist, Dr. Rodolfo Chuanico of East Avenue Medical Center said, adding that Santiago's blood clot in the eye is a warning that another hypertension may cause a stroke.

Santiago figured in a word war against Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Panfilo Lacson regarding the use of the Senate savings as maintenance and other operating expenses. In a television interview on Wednesday, the senator went ballistic while talking about Enrile.

“If Senator Santiago reports to the Senate on Monday, she might have a sudden rise in blood pressure and suffer either a stroke or a heart attack. She already had a mild stroke some ten years ago,” Santiago’s cardiologist, Dr. Esperanza Cabral, former Heart Center director and former Health secretary said.

Cabral added that she learned Santiago woke up on Thursday with a blood pressure of 184/100. Santiago's two brothers died separately of heart attacks in their sleep.

"With that kind of medical history, Senator Santiago will be placing herself in danger if she continues her fight against her fellow senators. I have told her that her political enemies might be dancing on her grave if she continues to fight them single-handedly,” Cabral said.

Tom Tolibas, spokesman for the senator, said Santiago will no longer be available for media interviews until her condition stabilizes.