Sandigan Questions VIPs’ Visits To Marcoleta

The patient could not be put in jail and had to be placed in isolation in a hospital supposedly due to a contagious disease.

So the Sandiganbayan wants to know why Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was allowed visits by Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Robinhood Padilla at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH).

The PNP Health Service director admitted a “lapse on our part” as the Sandiganbayan, skeptical about the health assessment on Marcoleta, ordered the director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to conduct an independent medical examination of the senator within three days.

Associate Justice Karl Miranda, Sandigan Third Division chairman, directed PGH director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi to submit a report determining whether Marcoleta’s continued confinement at the PNPGH is medically necessary.

This developed as the PNPGH declared that Marcoleta is now “fit to travel” and physically capable of appearing before the Sandiganbayan.

PNPGH Internal Medicine chief Lt. Col. Belany Bayani testified that Marcoleta, who originally complained of chest pains, hypertension and ringing in his ears, is no longer having difficulty breathing and can appear before the court as long as he wears a face mask.

Bayani, however, recommended that the court allow the senator to complete his seven-day course of antibiotics, which ends on July 15, before transferring him.

Marcoleta has been confined at the PNPGH since his arrest on Monday, July 6, on a non-bailable plunder charge stemming from undeclared P75 million in campaign donations.

The hospital earlier reported that he was suffering from mild pneumonia, degenerative disc disease and hypertension. On Wednesday, July 8, he was declared not medically cleared to travel by the PNP.

Court hits PNP

The issue of Marcoleta’s confinement also prompted the Sandiganbayan to reprimand police officials for allowing Vice President Duterte and Senator Padilla to visit him, questioning how they were permitted to see a patient supposedly under medical isolation for a contagious disease.

Third Division Associate Justice Ronald Moreno called out the PNP over the apparent breach of medical protocol.

PNP Health Service Director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad admitted the incident was “a lapse on our part.”

Bayani, for her part, said she was not present during the visits and deferred the matter to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, adding that she would look into the matter.

CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit chief Col. John Guiagui maintained that security personnel had been strict in approving visitation requests.

“As many people wanted to visit him, only two were allowed and they were the only ones who got in,” Guiagui told reporters, referring to Duterte and Padilla.

Guiagui said numerous requests from Marcoleta’s friends, supporters and allies had been denied and that the two visits were approved because they were personally requested by the detained senator, aside from visits by his immediate family and lawyers.

“They were the only ones allowed inside. There was no entourage and the visits were for a limited time,” Guiagui said.

To address concerns that Marcoleta was receiving special treatment, Guiagui said he would recommend that visitation requests be coursed through the Sandiganbayan.

Speaking after the hearing, Guiagui also assured the court and the public that visitation protocols would be strictly enforced moving forward, limiting visitors to lawyers and immediate family members.

Once Marcoleta is medically cleared, Guiagui said he would immediately be brought before the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court has yet to issue a formal commitment order because Marcoleta has not physically appeared before the Third Division since his booking. – With an additional report from Emmanuel Tupas