Makati Judge grants Napoles’ request for private doctors

Janet Lim-Napoles being admitted to Fort Sto. Domingo. Photo courtesy of PNP Public Information Office on Facebook.

Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 has agreed to give businesswoman and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles the permission to hire her personal medical team of 6 private doctors to perform the surgery she needs at Ospital ng Maynila (OsMak).

Earlier this month, Judge Alameda granted Napoles’ request to undergo surgery and hospitalization for her cystic myoma because of “humanitarian reasons.” However, despite Napoles’ request to be confined at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig, Alameda assigned her to OsMak, a public hospital.

In his recent resolution, Alameda cited the Philippine Medical Association’s Declaration on the Rights and Obligations of a patient, stating that a has the right to choose his/her doctor.

OsMak officials agreed to the judge’s ruling and promised to cooperate, saying that the ruling does not violate any rules of the government-owned hospital.

Alameda also stated in his resolution that an OsMak representative must be given full access to all of Napoles’ medical records and be allowed to actively participate in her healthcare management. All documents must also be signed by OsMak officials to verify the findings, including the final medical report to make sure that Napoles will not stay in the hospital any longer than what is medically recommended.

The doctors gave an estimate of 26 days for Napoles’ pre-surgical examination, surgery, and post-surgery care and recovery. That is if everything goes well without any complications.

With report from ABS-CBN News Online and TV5 evening news