Erap recovering well after surgery

A Hong Kong physician successfully operated on former President Joseph Estrada’s knees on Friday — a day after his US surgeon was denied permission to perform the surgery, a spokesman said.

Estrada appeared to be recovering well from the four-hour procedure on his knees, which suffered from osteoarthritis, said his spokesman, former Maguindanao congressman Didagen Dilangalen.

"He’s still inside the operating room, but we were informed the operation is over. It was successful," Dilangalen said.

Dr. Julian Chang, one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Hong Kong, operated on Estrada after the deposed leader’s American physician, Dr. Christopher Mow, was denied a temporary license to operate in the former British colony.

Hong Kong medical authorities said the license was only given to foreign doctors who come to the territory for academic or research purposes.

Reports said Estrada was brought to the operating room around 2 p.m. Friday and was under the knife for six hours.

Estrada was put under general anesthesia during the operation where doctors of Hong Kong’s Adventist Hospital operated on his right knee first, before taking on the left knee.

It is the first time Estrada has traveled out of the Philippines since he was placed under house arrest in 2001 on corruption charges.

Estrada left office after massive street protests in January 2001 that installed then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Prosecutors allege that while in office, Estrada collected illegal gambling payoffs, tax kickbacks and commissions stashed in secret bank accounts.

Estrada’s Hong Kong trip — his first journey outside the country since he was ousted — is being closely watched amid speculation he may eventually flee the Philippines.

A team of marshals is guarding him and holding his passport, but political analysts saw little chance of him trying to escape because of his political role at home.

Estrada also denied the accusations of escape and repeatedly said he would return to the Philippines by Jan. 15 — the deadline set by the Sandiganbayan trying him on corruption charges.

The Sandiganbayan has allowed Estrada to leave for the surgery after posting a P1-million travel bond with a formal pledge to return. — AFP