Sanchez negative for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez will no longer be transferred to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) after he tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 yesterday.

In a report to Justice Undersecretary Markk Perte, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said Sanchez was cleared of COVID-19 based on his swab test results.

Doctors attending to Sanchez at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Hospital said the former Calauan, Laguna mayor’s health condition has improved.

“Sanchez has regained his strength. There is no need to transfer him to the PGH,” Chaclag told reporters. “He would stay at the NBP Hospital. He is recovering and not on dextrose anymore.”

Sanchez was brought to the Ospital ng Muntinlupa on Monday for vomiting and diarrhea. He was turned away as the hospital’s COVID facility was full.

Sanchez was diagnosed with community acquired pneumonia, acute gastroenteritis, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus type 2 and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

He is serving seven life terms for murdering University of the Philippines Los Baños students Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez in 1993.

Sarmenta was raped by Sanchez and his men before she was shot in the head.

House COVID tally rises to 62

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has recorded two new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 62 the number of infections in the lower chamber.

House secretary general Jose Luis Montales said two employees of the engineering department contracted the disease after they interacted with a co-worker who had tested positive for the virus.

Montales said the two personnel last went to work on Aug. 24 and 25, respectively.

He said out of the 62 cases, only 15 are under quarantine as of yesterday.

Montales said 43 have recovered from the disease, including six House members.