MANILA -- The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) granted on Friday the request of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles to undergo a medical surgery but not at her preferred hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City.
In a resolution, Judge Elmo Alameda, of the Makati RTC branch 150, said Napoles can undergo medical surgery to remove her myoma uteri and post operative care at the Ospital ng Makati, a government-run hospital.
Alameda said Napoles, who is detained in Laguna for serious illegal detention of pork scam main whistleblower Benhur Luy, is still a detainee and "thus cannot choose which hospital she goes to."
"Mas pinili po niya 'yung government hospital... kasi siyempre tinitingnan din po ng korte yung pangangaliangan ng akusado lalo na we put in issue here the health of the accused," said Clerk of Court Diosfa Valencia.
On March 21, a tearful Napoles appealed to the court to allow her to undergo medical surgery at St. Luke's Medical Center after doctors who checked on her condition said she has ovarian tumor.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima saw nothing wrong with the court ruling, especially that Napoles will be operated on a government hospital.
"Provided such hospital confinement is only for a very limited duration, i.e., only for the duration of the surgery and needed recovery and provided further that a government doctor monitors the same, I guess that is acceptable," she said in a text message. (With Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)