GMA discharged from St. Luke's

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo was quietly discharged yesterday from the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City after a two-night stay for what Palace officials said was a routine check-up.

Mrs. Arroyo walked out of SLMC at around 9 a.m. and was fetched by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo. She declined to give any statement to journalists.

“She (Mrs. Arroyo) is in good spirits. The doctors said she is fine,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a statement. No other details were given by the Palace or by the SLMC as of press time.

The President was admitted at the hospital last Friday night in what Malacañang said was a part of her routine medical check-up in preparation for her trip on Wednesday to Copenhagen, Denmark to attend the historic climate change summit.

She briefly left the hospital on Saturday to attend the meeting of the Cabinet cluster on security where she decided to lift her declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.

It was not the first time that Mrs. Arroyo underwent a check-up before a trip.

Last June, the President checked into the Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa City for what the Palace said was a routine check-up just before her two-week visit to Japan, Brazil, Colombia and Hong Kong.

It turned out that she had a leaking breast implant repaired. Remonde initially described the report as “absurd.” – Paolo Romero