MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon had a heart attack while undergoing a dental procedure on August 7, according to a report submitted by the House of Representatives’ chief medical officer.

In a report submitted to House ways and means committee chairman Quirino Representative Dakila Cua, House medical and dental service chief Richard Dizon said Faeldon was diagnosed with “non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, hypertension urgency, hypertension stage II, pre-diabetes mellitus, [and] dyslipidemia.”

“Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction” is the medical term for a heart attack.

The 52-year-old Faeldon had been asked to face congressional inquiries into how billions of pesos worth of shabu from China were able to slip past the bureau. The shipment was eventually found at a Valenzuela City warehouse.

The entire debacle has been criticized by lawmakers, who have accused the bureau of inefficiency, incompetence, and even “connivance” with drug smugglers.

Three different committees are hearing the issue – the Senate blue ribbon committee, the House ways and means committee, and the House dangerous drugs committee.

During a late-night August 9 ways and means committee hearing, legislators wanted to “check” Faeldon’s confinement. The BOC commissioner’s chief-of-staff, lawyer Mandy Anderson, had said her boss had “heart problems.”  

From dental appointment to ER

Members of the House of Representatives were upset when Faeldon skipped an August 7 dangerous drugs committee hearing because of a “dental emergency.”

“Less than a heart attack, he should show up,” said Marikina 2nd District Representative Miro Quimbo, who also pointed out that Faeldon could just follow during the typically hours-long hearing.

It turns out, while Faeldon was at a dentist’s appointment at the Manila East Medical Center to fix his front teeth, he “experienced dizziness.” His dentist told him to proceed to the emergency room of the same hospital.

He was found to have high blood pressure (220/120) and was initially diagnosed with “non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, hypertensive urgency, and hypertension stage II.”

Faeldon was confined in the hospital from August 7 to 10 and was advised to get bed rest for 3 more days.

His take-home medications include the following:

• Aspirin
• Clopidogrel 
• Amlodipine 
• Losartan 
• Trimetazidine
• Cefuroxime 
• Proglin 
• Dolcet
• Rosuvastatin

Dizon visited Faeldon at the Manila East Medical Center with House sergeant-at-arms Ronald Detabali. The two found Faeldon awake in his hospital bed. They were able to speak to Faeldon’s doctor and secure copies of medical records and laboratory procedures.

The committees are still set to conduct more hearings on the shabu shipment and alleged corruption in the BOC. – Rappler.com