JPE undergoes medical tests at PGH

MANILA, Philippines - In compliance with the Sandiganbayan’s order issued Friday, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile was brought to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila yesterday morning for medical examination.

The 90-year-old senator, facing plunder and graft charges for allegedly pocketing more than P172 million in public funds through the pork barrel scam, was made to undergo medical tests.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents brought Enrile to the PGH and later returned him to his detention room at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The medical tests seek to determine if Enrile should be granted continued hospital confinement while undergoing trial, which he has asked for, citing his health problems.

Sandiganbayan Third Division magistrates headed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang directed PGH doctors to examine the accused to help them decide on the matter.

Enrile is supposed to be brought to the PGH again today to undergo more tests but the anti-graft court decided to move the date to Wednesday.

The Sandiganbayan said Enrile would instead be brought to the Asian Eye Institute for an emergency eye procedure because of bleeding or sub-retinal hemorrhage in his right eye.

Based on the findings of retina specialist Amadeo Veloso Jr., Enrile will received a Lucentis intravitreal injection to address the problem.

Enrile, on Friday, asked for permission to be brought to the Asian Eye Institute after he was found to have abnormal blood clot in the eye or a possible stroke affecting the eye last Aug. 7, which is further causing loss of visual acuity and other medical problems and complications.                                                    

Meanwhile, prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman asked the Sandiganbayan yesterday to affirm its decision suspending Enrile for 90 days while undergoing trial for plunder.