Court allows Napoles longer stay at hospital

By Ruffie Cruz

Manila Times

A Makati City court yesterday reconsidered its decision to end Janet Lim-Napoles’ confinement at the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak), allowing the key figure in the pork barrel scandal to stay at least five more days.

Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Elmo Alameda said Napoles could stay at the hospital until May 28 or next Wednesday.

On May 20, the court ordered Napoles, who had hysterectomy at OsMak earlier in the month, returned to her detention quarters at Fort Santo Domingo in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, “on or before but not later than May 23.”

Her lawyers asked the court to let her stay longer at the hospital after she began to experience bleeding in her private parts recently.

One of Napoles’ doctors, Efren Domingo, told the court it is safe to move his patient from the hospital only if there is no bleeding for at least seven days.

He said Napoles did not bleed for the second straight day yesterday.

When asked by the court what could have triggered the bleeding, Domingo replied,

“She’s only human. She has her own urges.”

He said he had been asking Napoles not to do anything to cause her to bleed again but she refuses to comply.

Alameda ordered OsMak medical director Dr Perry Peralta to submit a progress report on Napoles’ condition “within three days from today.”

The judge will hear on Monday clarifications from Napoles’ lawyers on the motion for her extended stay at OsMak.

Suspicions about Napoles’ extended hospital stay were raised by her former employee and now whistleblower Benhur Luy.

According to Luy’s lawyer, Raji Mendoza, other government doctors from the Department of Health or the Philippine General Hospital should be asked for a second opinion after Napoles’ physicians recommended her continued confinement.

“The judge should call in the ranking officials of the hospital but it would be best, if they just ask a second opinion from other government doctors to douse public suspicion and for Napoles to show the necessity of granting her extension,” Mendoza said in a text message.