By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — Beleaguered Senator Rodante ‘Dante’ Marcoleta and former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel ‘Manny’ Bonoan are fit to stand trial as both have been given a ‘clean’ bill of health by doctors at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNP-GH), respectively.
Charged with plunder before the Sandiganbayan, UP-PGH doctors declared on Tuesday, July 14, that Marcoleta is ‘clinically stable’ after an independent medical evaluation was conducted on orders of the anti-graft court.
The senator has been detained at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) since his arrest last July 6 for a variety of ailments, and following the evaluation, his continued confinement at the police hospital may soon be determined as unnecessary.
A PNP doctor has informed the court about the current condition of the former sectoral representative of the Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty (Sagip) party-list.
In reaction, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) National Capital Region Field Unit chief Colonel John Guiagui welcomed the evaluation results, saying “so far so good and we’re just waiting for the document (from PGH) stating what we were told, that Marcoleta is fit to be presented to the Sandiganbayan.”
However, Guiagui added that it was up to the Sandiganbayan to determine if Marcoleta is fit to be committed to a jail facility.
In a resolution dated July 13, the Sandiganbayan Third Division scheduled Marcoleta to appear before the anti-graft court on July 15, but since his arrest on July 6, the lawmaker had been confined at PNPGH after being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and slightly high blood pressure.
On the other hand, Bonoan was similarly declared in stable condition by doctors at the PNP-GH, according to PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co.
Pending a decision on his petition to be a state witness in the hearing of the flood control scam, the ex-DPWH chief was expected to appear before the Sandiganbayan Second Division on July 14.
Following his arrest, Bonoan was brought and confined at the PNPGH after experiencing “dangerously high” blood pressure. He was then briefly taken to The Medical City in Pasig City on the PNP’s recommendation that cited a supposed need for more advanced testing. However, the Sandiganbayan ordered that he be confined at the PNP General Hospital.
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