MANILA, Philipines – Alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim Napoles will get on Wednesday, February 26, the medical examinations she needs – but not at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig as she requested, but in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

During a hearing on Monday, February 24, in relation to the illegal detention charges she is facing, it was revealed that Camp Crame has the facilities to conduct a transvaginal ultrasound, as well as a PT and PTT test on Napoles.

Dr. Angelo Michael Luna, Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) Medical Officer, told Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 that there is “no difference” in the facilities of the Camp Crame hospital and St. Luke’s Medical Center, the hospital of Napoles’ choice.

The resolution approving the conduct of medical exam at Crame was read on behalf of Judge Alameda shortly before 5 pm Monday.

Napoles earlier submitted an urgent motion for medical examination before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150.

Napoles is currently detained for serious illegal detention charges. Napoles and her brother Reynald Lim allegedly detained former JLN employee turned pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy from December 2012 to March 2013.

According to court testimonies, Luy was detained after Napoles discovered he was siphoning off lawmakers funds through bogus NGOs behind her back. Napoles also faces plunder charges connected to the scam.

Asked about the possibility of having tests done in Camp Crame, Napoles’ special counsel Bruce Rivera told reporters that their camp doesn’t mind. “In a perfect world, we’d want St. Luke’s to do the examination. However… it’s basically the same. We are not casting any doubt on the veracity of tests in Camp Crame,” he told reporters after the hearing.

Rivera said they would likely request the presence of Napoles’ own doctors during the exams.

“With regard to the actual findings and prognosis, we would have to refer to [Dr. Elsie Badillo Pascua] to see what would be the further action. Whether she would need further tests, hospitalization or if she needs to return to Fort Sto. Domingo because there’s nothing wrong,” he added.

Medical emergency?

Luna was the last witness called in the hearing, which would determine if Napoles would be allowed to leave her detention facility in Fort Sto Domingo in Laguna. In her motion, Napoles said she needed to take medical exams in St. Luke’s following the discovery of an ovarian tumor and heightened CA-125 levels in her blood. Napoles had also experienced “profuse menstrual bleeding.”

Three other doctors were presented by the defense in connection with the motion. But none could give Alameda a conclusive answer to one question: Should Napoles be transferred out of Fort Sto Domingo for a medical examination?

After 3 witnesses, a frustrated Alameda said: “The point of this hearing is to determine if it is necessary to transfer Janet Lim Napoles to St. Luke’s or any other hospital.”

Dr. Michael Lim Villa, Napoles’ endocrinologist, could only say his recommendation was for Napoles to consult an OB-GYN. The OB-GYN that Napoles eventually reached out to was Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua.

Pascua told the court: “I recommend that [Napoles] undergoes transvaginal ultrasound, CBC, repeat CA 125, HE-45, CA19-9, PTT and PT.”

Pascua, who claims she does not know Napoles personally, said Napoles runs the risk of dying from hemorrhage. Villa, however, seemed to contradict Pascua’s claims. Villa said he “assumed” that Napoles and her family knew Pascua because it took them “less than a minute” to bring up her name.

According to Napoles’ special counsel Bruce Rivera, Napoles still experiences “profuse” bleeding to this day. “What the family is trying to say is that she needs help and I’m happy that the court is receptive to our request,” said Rivera. 

One day out

Napoles has long wanted to leave the confines of Fort Sto. Domingo. Only recently, Alameda junked Napoles’ motion to post bail and the subsequent motion for reconsideration.

Rivera earlier told Rappler that although Napoles’ medical woes started as early as October 2013, Napoles only filed a motion for medical examination because she hoped her bail petition would be granted.

The urgent motion for medical examination is handled by a team of lawyers different from Napoles’ serious illegal detention case. 

Should Alameda allow her to take medical examinations – in Camp Crame, and not in St. Luke’s – the PNP SAF’s Luna said it would take “around one day” for all tests to be done. No final date has been set for Napoles’ medical examination, but both sides earlier set Wednesday, February 26, as a viable date. – Rappler.com