Court allows overnight checkup for Revilla at St Luke’s

MANILA, Philippines – Citing humanitarian reasons, the Sandiganbayan on Thursday, November 13, granted the motion of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, one of the lawmakers charged with plunder in relation to the pork barrel scam, for an overnight checkup at St Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. 

Revilla will stay at St Luke’s from 6 pm Monday, November 17, to 12 noon Tuesday, November 18, according to an order by the anti-graft court’s First Division headed by Justice Efren de la Cruz.

“After going over the arguments of the parties, the Court is inclined to grant the motion for humanitarian considerations, over the objection of the prosecution,” the resolution said. 

Revilla wants to undergo a series of MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), a cardiac work-up and blood chemistry tests. 

In a medical certificate attached to Revilla’s original motion, doctor Cristina Macrohon-Valdez said Revilla is suffering from migraine, hypertension, lumbar radiculopathy secondary to spondylosis or back pain and dyslipidemia or imbalance of fats.

Revilla’s checkup is subject to certain conditions, according to the court. He is required to shoulder all costs for the checkup, including the expenses to be incurred by policemen who will provide him security. Revilla is not allowed to leave Camp Crame, where he is detained, earlier than 4 pm of November 17, and is barred from granting media interviews.

‘No hospital arrest’

The prosecution had opposed Revilla’s motion, raising concerns that the move could be a prelude to a hospital arrest given the timing of the request. The prosecution already rested its case Thursday in the ongoing hearing on the senator’s petition for bail. Revilla’s fellow accused in the pork barrel scam, 90-year-old Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, is also currently under hospital arrest.

In a statement released Thursday morning, Revilla reiterated he has no plans of applying for hospital arrest.  

Revilla said it was his personal doctor and doctors of the PNP who recommended that he seek medical care elsewhere due to the lack of facilities at Camp Crame. “Wala kahit katiting sa motion namin ang katagang ‘hospital arrest‘ dahil wala akong planong magpa-hospital arrest. Ito ay maliwanag na imbento lamang at pinalaki lamang ng prosekusyon,” Revilla said. (There is nothing in our motion that mentions the phrase ‘hospital arrest’ because I have no plans to seek hospital arrest. This is a clear fabrication that the prosecution just sensationalized.)

The hearing on Revilla’s petition for bail is nearing its conclusion as the prosecution rested its case. Two more defense witnesses are expected to take the stand after handwriting expert lawyer Desiderio Pagui.  

Revilla is facing graft and plunder charges for allegedly receiving kickbacks from public funds awarded to the bogus non-governmental organizations controlled by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. – Rappler.com