Jinggoy seeks medical furlough for aching knee

MANILA, Philippines – Former senator Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to temporarily leave his detention to have his knee checked in a private hospital.

Estrada, through his legal counsels Noel Malaya and Alexis Abastillas-Suarez, urged the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division to allow him to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and x-ray on his left knee at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.

Estrada said he has been experiencing pain in his left knee.

“The pain is felt despite rest and medications,” Estrada’s motion read.

Estrada’s private doctor Jose Syquia visited him in his detention cell at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Quezon City on Dec. 30, 2016.

Syquia noted that the former senator was suffering from patello femoral pain syndrome, which is common among athletes and characterized by mild to severe pain around the kneecap.

“There is a need for him to undergo immediate x-ray and MRI on his left knee as recommended by his physician,” Estrada’s lawyers said.

Estrada did not specify his preferred date for the medical tests, but pleaded that these be done as soon as possible.

He promised to shoulder all the expenses for his travel and security should the court grant his request.

In 2015, the Sandiganbayan allowed Estrada to undergo therapy sessions for his shoulder pains at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Estrada is on trial for plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.

He is accused of amassing P183.793 million in kickbacks for allegedly allocating his Priority Development Assistance Fund from 2004 to 2012 to bogus non-government organizations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the scam.

The Sandiganbayan denied with finality the petitions for bail of Estrada and Napoles in January last year.