Janet back to detention

MANILA, Philippines - Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles was returned last night to her place of detention at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna from the Ospital ng Makati where she had been staying since March 31.

Napoles, wearing a blue hoodie and a bullet-proof vest, left the hospital at 9:37 p.m. and was whisked by her police escorts into a gray van with government plate which was escorted by other police vehicles from the Police Regional Office 4-A in a security convoy.

 Bruce Rivera, lawyer of Napoles, told reporters that the businesswoman’s hospital bills had been settled before she left the hospital.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 ordered the return of Napoles to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

In a four-page order, Judge Elmo Alameda said Napoles has no more reason to challenge the court order returning her to the police camp.

“Her zeal to avail continued health care in the hospital even after her discharge should not exceed the bounds of the law for she remains to be an accused for an unbailable offense,” the order read.

Alameda also ordered Police Chief Inspector Magnolia Ruth Priscilla Bermudez, a medical officer assigned at the Regional Police Office 4-A which has jurisdiction over Fort Sto. Domingo, to carry-out the post operative care on Napoles as recommended by her doctors.

“Wherefore, premises considered, the motion to recall and reconsider the order dated May 20, 2014 is denied,” the court order added.

Earlier, Osmak gynecologist Dr. Florentina Villanueva testified that Napoles had been responding well to medication, particularly tranexamic acid and that her vaginal bleeding stopped last May 22.

Tranexamic acid is used to stop heavy bleeding.

Villanueva said Napoles could be discharged seven days from May 22 or on May 29.

The court last Friday deferred the return of Napoles to her place of detention after one of her doctors testified that she suffered from “significant” vaginal bleeding.

Napoles was supposed to be returned to the police camp for detention by midnight Friday last week.

Napoles’ gynecologist Efren Domingo told the court that Napoles started bleeding last May 17 and was referred to him by the Osmak on May 19.

Domingo told the court that Napoles had stopped bleeding last May 21. He said he was willing to have Napoles discharged from the Osmak after a “bleeding-free” period of seven to 10 days.

Villanueva also told the court that stress,-particularly from entertaining so many visitors at her hospital room, could have triggered Napoles’ vaginal bleeding. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe