Napoles claustrophobic, blood pressure rises

MANILA, Philippines - Suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles complained of an anxiety attack,  causing  her blood pressure to rise, a police advisory Monday morning said.

Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Ruben Theodore Sindac said Napoles complained of claustrophobia, which was supposedly triggered by her detention cell in Fort Domingo in Laguna where she was transferred Sunday.

Related story: Napoles transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo

Sindac said Napoles' blood pressure rose to 180/150 while her sugar level fell to 40 mg/dl at around 3 a.m. on Monday.

While nurses attended to her,  her blood pressure level stabilized 120/90 and  sugar level at 112 mg/dl after an hour, Sindac recounted.

There were also no reports whether she was able to sleep after the medical attention, but ate breakfast of ham, fried egg and rice at 6 a.m., the Philippine National Police official said.

PNP-SAF director Chief Superintendent Carmelo Valmoria had also said that materials that can be potentially used for suicide such as sharp objects, shoelaces, ropes and curtains are not allowed inside her cell.

Related story: Napoles on suicide watch

“It’s like a typical bungalow with the doors and windows having grills,” Valmoria said on Sunday.

The prison cell of Napoles, considered a high-profile inmate, reportedly also has a receiving room and a refrigerator.

Napoles along with her brother Reynald "Jojo" Lim are  facing serious illegal detention case and kidnapping for allegedly detaining  pork barrel scam whistleblower Bunhur Luy last December.