Napoles has tumor, wants medical exam in St. Luke’s

Bea Cupin

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Napoles through her lawyers asks the court to allow a medical exam in St. Luke's, as well as "admission/confinement... if necessary."

HEALTH CONCERNS? Napoles on Tuesday, February 18, files a motion to conduct medical examination. File photo from PNP-SAF

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) Alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim Napoles on Tuesday, February 18, asked a Makati court to allow her to take a medical examination in St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City because of suspected ovarian cancer. 

Napoles also asked the court to “allow admission/confinement… if necessary.”

In a petition filed Tuesday, Napoles through lawyers Fay Isaguirre Singson and Evita Magnolia Ansaldo said she needed a transvaginal ultrasound examination in connection with “profuse menstrual bleeding.” In October last year, Napoles was rushed to the Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center because of stones in her ureter

Napoles will be represented by two new counsels – Singson and Ansaldo – after they filed a formal entry of special appearance for a motion to conduct medical examination on her. Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Elmo Alameda scheduled a hearing on Moday, February 24, on the motion.

During the hearing, Napoles’ lawyers will present Napoles’ long-time doctor Dr. Elise Badillo-Pascua, St. Luke’s doctor Michael Lim Villa, and a doctor from the camp where Napoles is detained. 

The motion caused a ruckus in court, where a hearing on the serious illegal detention case against Napoles was being heard. A lawyer from Napoles’ camp called up the Makati RTC Branch 150 to get an update on the “urgent motion for medical examination.” 

The court, however, did not receive the motion, which the lawyers said they submitted Thursday, February 13. The motion was eventually received before noon Tuesday. 

Ovarian cancer?

According to lawyer Bruce Rivera, special counsel for the motion and a family friend of Napoles, the trouble began shortly Napoles was rushed to the hospital. Unknown to her family and friends, Napoles had been experiencing menstrual bleeding before and even after the hospital trip. 

She didn’t say a thing then “because she didn’t want her family to worry.” Napoles also did not want to attract media attention, the lawyer added.

A CT Scan taken at the Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical showed an ovarian tumor. Further test showed elevated CA-125 levels in Napoles’ blood. CA-125 is a marker used to detect ovarian cancer. 

Napoles is currently detained at Fort Sto Domingo in Sta Rosa, Laguna, for serious illegal detention charges connected with the alleged abduction of aide-turned-whistleblower Benhur Luy. 

Luy claimed Napoles detained him on suspicion he had betrayed her. Luy spilled the beans on Napoles, saying she siphoned off lawmakers’ development funds to fake non-governmental organizations in a massive pork barrel scam. The revelations led to the filing of a plunder complaint against Napoles and at least 30 others before the Ombudsman.

CHECK-UP NEEDED? Napoles, through lawyers Fay Isaguirre Singson and Evita Magnolia Ansaldo, files a motion to conduct a medical examination. Photo by Rappler

According the Philippine National Police’s records, Singson and Ansaldo visited Napoles at least once in the past – days before she was scheduled to testify before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

Hospital arrest?

Even if the motion is granted, it doesn’t mean that Napoles will automatically be granted hospital arrest. Confinement or admission can be allowed if it is needed in the medical examination.

If medical exams indicate the need for Napoles to be confined and receive treatment as an in-patient, her team will have to file another motion to grant her transfer, according to Makati RTC Branch 150 Clerk of Court Diosfa Valencia.

Rivera added there was nothing malicious about Napoles’ request to be transferred to St. Luke’s. “Records would show that she’s always been going there. Nagkataon lang talaga,” he said.

Napoles’ previous counsel Lorna Kapunan said they would not use a “wheelchair defense” or ask for a hospital arrest. “Nabenta na yan. Marami nang gumamit ng hospital arrest na yan,” she said in October, the day after Napoles was rushed to the hospital. (A lot of people have used the hospital arrest as a defense against detention.)

Unaware

Defense lead counsel Alfredo Villamor was unaware of the latest plea by his client.

He said Singson and Ansaldo would be handling the motion on the medical examination while he focuses on the serious illegal detention case. 

“I’m not aware of that, I think another lawyer will be handling that,” Villamor said, referring to the motion to conduct medical examination. He said he didn’t know why Napoles wanted a medical exam. 

“I do not know really. I’m not privy to it as of now. I’ll find out later,” he added. 

Villamor added that he hasn’t ironed how he and the two counsels will work together, since he last spoke to Napoles “a month ago.”

Kapunan told reporters months ago that the solidude was affecting her mental health. In October last year, Napoles was brought to the hospital because of stones in her ureter. – Rappler.com

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Bea Cupin

Bea is a senior multimedia reporter who covers national politics. She's been a journalist since 2011 and has written about Congress, the national police, and the Liberal Party for Rappler.