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Waiting for Jenny: One patient’s story

Bea Cupin

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Indigent patients wait outside the Camp Crame General Hospital while the facility is closed for Janet Lim Napoles' medical tests

WORTH THE WAIT. 78-year-old Esteban Viray (in white) waits patiently for Janet Lim Napoles' medicam examinations to end so he and other patients can enter the Camp Crame General Hospital. Photo by Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Whenever alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim Napoles leaves her detention center in Laguna, it is nothing short of pomp and pageantry.

At least 100 people from the Philippine National Police (PNP) are needed – from the Special Action Force to the the Highway Patrol Group. Costs run up to P120,000 for every trip.

It’s an expense many criticize.

But for one senior citizen, Napoles’ February 26 visit to the Camp Crame General Hospital in Quezon City meant more than just extra expenses for government.

Braving Wednesday’s erratic weather, 78-year-old Esteban Viray, who came all the way from Pampanga, stood patiently outside the Emergency Ward of central police camp’s hospital. The facility was effectively shut down that morning to allowing Napoles to take a battery of medical exams without having to worry about her safety.

Kailangan ko lang mapuntahan si Doctor Mendoza, pero bawal pumasok,” Viray told Rappler. (I need to go to Doctor Mendoza, but we’re not allowed to go in.)

Viray was among the handful of patients who trooped to the Camp Crame General Hospital on Wednesday, unaware of the spectacle Napoles was bringing along with her. Also waiting outside were mothers and fathers with babies in tow. 


 

PNP officials earlier told media they expected medical exams to be done by noon, so that the hospital could re-open its doors to patients by 1pm. The outpatient department announced early on that its services would be suspended in the morning. But with a high-risk detainee like Napoles inside, other units of the hospital had to be closed temporarily too. 

Viray was willing to wait.

Only a week ago, Viray underwent a prostate and kidney surgery in the same hospital. He came back to get prescriptions for medicines he needed. Fevers were becoming a frequent visitor at night, he said.

Without any savings to speak of, Viray said he was lucky to find generous strangers willing to pay for his medical expenses. Dr. Mendoza’s brother referred him to Camp Crame, where he finally received medical attention.

A month before his operation, Viray stayed in the hospital for a month to gain enough strength. “Matanda na rin ako, malapit na panahon ko,” he added. (I’m old, my time is near.)

Viray isn’t married and has no children, so he had to travel from Pampanga north of Metro Manila on his own. “Kaya ko pa namang maglakad eh,” he said. (I can still walk.)

Natakot ako noong panahon ng mga Hapon. Lahat ng Pilipino pinapatay kaya siguro di ko naisip magpakasal,” he said when asked why he never thought about marriage. (I was afraid of the Japanese. They killed every Filipino, so I didn’t even think about marraige.)

After two hours of travel from Pampanga to Quezon City, Viray was in the Camp Crame by 11 am. Luckily enough, Napoles’ exams ended a little before 11 am on Wednesday, and the hospital resumed regular operations for the rest of the day.

Viray said the wait didn’t upset him. It’s been a long and difficult life for the former frame maker. Although in pain, he figured a few more hours of waiting wouln’t hurt. – 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.