Lawyer: Napoles has ovarian tumor, may seek hospital arrest

Janet Lim-Napoles’ first day of detention in Fort Sto. Domingo. Photo courtesy of PNP-PIO on Facebook.

The camp of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles on Tuesday asked a Makati court to allow the detained businesswoman to have a comprehensive medical check-up and place her under hospital arrest, if deemed necessary.

In an urgent motion to conduct medical examination filed before Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Tuesday morning, lawyer Fay Isaguirre Singson said her client Napoles has ovarian tumor.

Singson said her client is suffering from profuse bleeding, hypoglycemia, weight loss, chest pain and abdominal pain.

“Accused humbly begs the kindness and human compassion of the honorable court to allow the examination to be done by a certified medical physician preferably her current doctor and in a reputable hospital such as St. Luke’s Hospital to ensure the correct prognosis and prescription,” the motion stated.

“Depending on the outcome of her examination and upon the advice of her doctor, should confinement be necessary, it is also most respectfully requested that accused be placed under hospital arrest also at St. Luke’s Hospital, Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City,” it added.

No decision yet

The motion was heard 1:30 p.m. Tuesday but no decision was handed yet.

Judge Elmo Alameda wanted to hear first the doctors who examined Napoles and government doctors to verify her claims.

“We are not experts here. The only way we can determine the veracity of her condition is through the doctors. From there, we will probably be able to determine the propriety on granting or denying the motion,” Alameda said.

The court will issue a subpoena to Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua, Napoles’ obstetrician and gynecologist; a physician of the PNP Special Action Force assigned at Fort Sto. Domingo where Napoles is detained; and the doctor from Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center.

The hearing on the motion was scheduled on February 24 at 10 a.m.

Napoles’ motion

The motion stated that on October 24, 2013, Napoles was rushed to the emergency room of Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center due to severe abdominal pain. She underwent a CT scan procedure.

Prior to this, Napoles has been complaining of profuse menstrual bleeding for nine consecutive days.

On December 14, 2013, Napoles’ endocrinologist, Dr. Michael Lim Villa, visited her in Fort Sto. Domingo to examine her.

Villa told Napoles that her CT scan result showed ovarian tumor and her hemoglobin count considerably dropped and the Southern Luzon Hospital recommended to Napoles to have tumor markers.

Since Napoles has not been seen by a specialist, Villa recommended that she be examined by an obstetrician-gynecologist.

On December 19, Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua then examined Napoles’ blood, urine and serum. She recommended further comprehensive gynecological tests, a transvaginal ultrasound examination, a comprehensive medical check up as well as admission to a reputable hospital.

“These comprehensive examinations and medical procedures cannot be conducted inside the Fort Sto. Domingo where accused is currently detained, for lack of facilities,” the motion stated.

The motion further stated that despite the medical advice, Napoles “opted to suffer in silence and endure the pain in solitude, in order to spare her family from worrying, as well as to avoid unnecessary media attention.”

Napoles was also hoping that time that the court would approve her motion for reconsideration on petition for bail. The court, however, junked the motion.

Napoles is currently detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna facing serious illegal detention charges. She is also facing plunder complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam and the misuse of Malampaya fund.

Earlier in the day, her camp said they will be appealing their bail petition before the Court of Appeals.The Makati court trying her serious illegal detention case had twice junked her peition for bail.