Senator Rodante Marcoleta returned to the Philippine National Police-General Hospital (PNPGH) on Tuesday afternoon after undergoing an independent medical examination at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in Manila.
The senator was transported to UP-PGH earlier in the day following an order from the Sandiganbayan, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Marcoleta was seen wearing handcuffs and a detainee shirt while seated in a wheelchair as he was assisted into a PNPGH vehicle.
The vehicle was escorted by personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) during the trip.
The vehicle left the PNPGH at around 11:15 a.m. and returned at about 1:33 p.m.
PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said the medical examination was conducted to assess Marcoleta’s condition, including whether he is fit to undergo trial proceedings.
“It was not stated in the order of the Sandiganbayan but we presume ito po ay titingnan kung (to determine) if he will be fit to undergo trial,” Co told reporters during a briefing at the PNPGH.
Co said the Sandiganbayan’s decision to have Marcoleta undergo another medical evaluation aimed to address any concerns regarding his health condition.
He added that reports from PNPGH showed that Marcoleta remains in stable condition and has not developed any life-threatening illness.
“Stable naman po, yun po ang mga reports na narereceive natin from the PNPGH. Wala naman pong life-threatening or any illness na nadevelop na bago,” Co said.
He also said security measures for Marcoleta are based on the situation while ensuring his safety as a person under PNP custody.
“We do not want anything to happen to the senator, especially while under the custody and care of the PNP,” Co added.
Marcoleta was previously diagnosed by PNPGH with mild pneumonia and elevated cholesterol, while his elevated blood pressure was controlled several days after his arrest.
The senator remains under PNP custody following his arrest over a non-bailable plunder case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman involving allegedly undeclared campaign donations.
Marcoleta voluntarily appeared before the Sandiganbayan on July 6, where he filed a motion to quash the plunder and indirect bribery charges filed against him and his co-accused, former congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.
Photo from Inquirer.net
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