Erap to undergo another eye operation

Former President Joseph Estrada will be flown from his detention facility in Tanay, Rizal to the San Juan Medical Center this afternoon (Thursday) for an operation on his eyes which have both developed conjunctivital cysts. The Sandiganbayan special division has verbally given the go-signal for the former president’s travel to San Juan. A formal resolution is expected to be issued later today. Defense lawyer Jay Flaminiano asked the Sandiganbayan Thursday morning to allow the former president to again undergo eye operations after the cysts started affecting Estrada’s vision. Dr. Larry Jocson, personal physician of the Estrada family, said eye specialists discovered the cysts last month when they conducted an occuplasty (removal of excess eyelids) on Estrada but did not remove it, hoping drug medication could make them shrink. “Hindi naman humupa iyong mga cysts and now it is causing irritation on (Estrada’s) eyes so we have decided to operate on it," Jocson told GMA7’s DZBB. Jocson said that if the cysts are not removed, it could cause infection on Estrada’s eyes and adversely affect his eyelids. Dr. Amadeo Veloso would make a medical assessment of Estrada’s eye condition upon his arrival and decide if the operation would be conducted Thursday evening or Friday morning. Veloso said he operated on Estrada’s cataract in 2004. Estrada is expected to arrive at the San Juan Medical Center between 4 and 5 P.M. Thursday.-GMANews.TV