Koko, GMA both confined at St. Luke's

MANILA, Philippines - The accused and the accuser are confined in the same hospital.

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who filed an election sabotage case against Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel last October before the Department of Justice, was rushed yesterday to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, where the former leader has been confined for her bone disease.

Senate physician Dr. Mariano Blancia said the senator complained of severe headache and chest pains at past 1 p.m. Pimentel’s blood pressure also shot up to 150/100.

As a result, the neophyte senator was unable to attend yesterday’s regular Senate session. 

The senator’s father, former Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., said his son was advised by doctors to rest.

“Thank God he’s okay. His BP soared to over 150,” the elder Pimentel said. “It’s down to normal level now. But he’s advised to rest for a while.”

Pimentel even managed to take a dig at Arroyo.

“He does not need to travel abroad to get medical treatment,” he said, referring to Arroyo’s attempts to go abroad allegedly for medical treatment.

“I don’t want to sound like Raul Lambino, but confirmed his BP has normalized already,” Pimentel said, referring to the Arroyo legal spokesman issuing medical bulletins. “What’s the cause? Ask Dr. Lambino.”

As of press time yesterday, Koko’s BP had normalized to 120/90.

The younger Pimentel was supposed to join Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Francis Pangilinan for a press conference yesterday regarding the electoral sabotage case of Arroyo.