Miriam takes time off from Senate duties

MANILA, Philippines - Faced with several ailments including the risk of a second stroke, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago decided to take some time off from her duties at the Senate.

A statement released by Santiago’s office said the results of the senator’s blood tests revealed she had chronic bone marrow disorder resulting in low blood cell count.

She also has high cholesterol, triglycerides and very high LDL or the so-called bad cholesterol.

This is on top of her frequent episodes of high blood pressure, the latest of which resulted in what one of her doctors described as technically a mild stroke.

Santiago’s blood vessels in her right eye burst last Wednesday during a television interview where she discussed her ongoing quarrel with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile and Santiago engaged in a bitter war of words, with Santiago accusing the Senate President of abusing his authority to realign the savings of the Senate by allegedly granting P1.6 million in cash gifts to senators.

Santiago, along with Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Pia Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV received only P250,000 from Enrile last December.

Santiago accused Enrile of bribing the senators to keep him in power at the Senate.

Former health secretary Esperanza Cabral, who now serves as Santiago’s personal physician, has advised the senator against attending the sessions at the Senate so as not to trigger another high blood pressure attack.

Santiago has decided to heed the advice of her doctors, starting with a total disengagement from all things political.

“I am quarantined from certain toxic people, and I am sequestered from political news. I may as well be shot. But then again, I will have more time for my four granddaughters, every single one of whom is precocious, beautiful, brilliant, and a potential Olympic champion,” Santiago said.

It will not be the first time that Santiago would take an indefinite leave from the Senate due to her ailments.

She had gone on leave in the past because of her hypertension and hyperthyroidism.

With the current findings on her bone marrow disorder, Cabral said Santiago is prone to fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and other symptoms.

In extreme cases, Cabral said people suffering from the condition would require bone marrow transplantation from their family members.

As for her high cholesterol count, Santiago’s doctors noted the risk of atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Quoting a doctor, the office of Santiago said the senator is “a ticking time bomb,” because her passion and intensity about her work have resulted in an ultra stressful lifestyle.