MANILA, Philippines – If Camp Crame doctors were to decide, they would rather not have Senator Juan Ponce Enrile transferred from the camp hospital to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, July 10, PNP Health Services head Chief Superintendent Alejandro Advincula Jr said that although Enrile wasn’t complaining of any discomfort, his blood pressure was highly unstable.

“Walang ‘dinadaing si senator, ang ano lang talaga namin, ang erratic hypertension niya kahit na may medicine siya iniinom,” said Advincula. (The senator doesn’t complain of any particular ailment but he has a case of erratic hypertension despite the medicines he takes.)

The 90-year-old Enrile surrendered to police on Friday, July 4, after he was ordered arrested by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. Enrile allegedly earned millions of pesos kickbacks from ensuring that his pork barrel went to fake projects and bogus non-governmental organizations.

Enrile is currently detained at the PNP General Hospital inside Camp Crame, following recommendations by PNP doctors. The court has allowed him to stay in the hospital for now, pending the resolution of his motion for hospital arrest.

Twenty medicines a day

Advincula said even though Enrile takes around 20 maintenance medicines on a daily basis, he still goes through episodes of fatigue. His blood pressure is also unstable, going as high as 200/90.

Asked by media if he would recommend hospital arrest, Advincula said he leaves it up to the court. “Temporary confinement, ‘yun ang ni-recommend namin, kasi nga meron naman talaga kaming findings na nakita – ‘yung hypertension. Kailangan natin ma-control ‘yun to prevent ‘yung complications that might set in,” he said.

(We recommended temporary confinement [after the booking procedure] because of our findings, his hypertension. We need to control that to prevent any complications that might set in.)

At the time Enrile’s booking, doctors reported that his blood pressure was high at 200/90. Advincula said his blood pressure also shot up after he was admitted into the PNP hospital.

The custodial center is a block away from the hospital; it would take an ambulance less than a minute to reach the camp’s main medical facility.

PGH visit

Earlier on Thursday, a team of doctors from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) visited the Crame hospital. This was after the 3rd division of the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday ordered them to visit Enrile and recommend if hospital confinement is necessary.

Advincula said results of the exam aren’t expected until Friday, July 11, at the earliest. Medical exams Enrile underwent included CBC, blood chemistry, ECG, chest x-ray, and a 2D echocardiogram.

Moving the senator to a place “not conducive” to his condition might result in complications, Advincula added. Complications include a stroke should his hypertension be left unchecked.

PGH doctors recommended the installation of a holder monitoring machine which will be hooked up to Enrile at all times. Pending the court’s decision on his area of detention, Enrile was allowed the freedom to visit medical facilities outside the Crame hospital, provided it’s an emergency, it’s necessary, or it’s a procedure not available within the police hospital.

‘High spirits’

The PNP health services chief and Enrile’s attending physician at the hospital said Enrile did not seem to be sick. They said he was in “high spirits.”

According to Advincula, Enrile’s daily routine includes getting passive exercises, having breakfast provided by the hospital, and accepting visitors.

Enrile is not allowed to freely roam around the hospital, but often walks from his hospital room to the nearby nurses’ station. The hospital has also been strictly regulating Enrile’s visitors, since stress was one of the factors that contribute to his unstable hypertension.

Only 2 visitors at a time are allowed to visit him between 9 am-12 noon and 3-7:30 pm. Family members are regular visitors, but don’t stay by his side 24/7. Instead, Enrile has a team of 3 personal nurses who work in shifts to watch over the nonagenarian.

A personal aide also watches over him 24/7.

Should the court order Enrile’s detention at the PNP General Hospital, Advincual said they would not be able to “convert” the hospital room into a cell. Instead, security has to be tightened in the ward, which Enrile shares with other patients.

Enrile’s stay in the hospital is free – that is, assuming he’s a PhilHealth member. Advincula clarified, however, that Enrile is paying for his own maintenance medicines. – Rappler.com