Napoles violated visitation policies, says hospital director

Published May 26, 2014 11:52am

(Updated 2:05 p.m.) Janet Lim-Napoles has violated visitation policies during her confinement at the Ospital ng Makati, the hospital's medical director told a Makati court on Monday.

Testifying at the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150, Dr. Perry Peralta said that only two visitors are supposed to be allowed inside Napoles' hospital room during the visiting hours of 9 a.m.- 12 noon and 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. This policy, he said, is not being followed.

"We coordinate with the Philippine National Police on her security at the hospital; unfortunately the [rules on] visiting hours and number of visitors are being violated," Peralta said, adding that even people who are not included on the list of authorized visitors have been able to go inside Napoles' room.

"We have no control over that. They were getting permission from somebody else. I cannot say who but I'm very sure it is not one of hospital authorities," he said.

Ma. Laurice Grace Bien, one of the nurses attending to Napoles, said during the hearing that she usually sees several people inside Napoles' room during her shift.

"Last night, six to seven people ang bisita niya. They were there I think until 6 this morning," she said.

Court decision out Thursday

Meanwhile, the court will decide on Napoles' appeal to recall the order transferring her to Fort Sto. Domingo on May 29, Thursday.

Judge Elmo Alameda ordered Peralta to submit a progress report on Napoles' condition.

"Submit your progress report on Thursday, from May 26 to 29, in the morning. On the 29th, the court will issue the order," Alameda said.

Earlier in the hearing, Dr. Florentina Villanueva, head of the Ospital ng Makati's OB-GYN department, testified that Napoles' condition has improved "a lot" and that she may be discharged on Thursday.

The doctor also noted that having so many visitors could have caused Napoles stress.

"Maraming bisita ang pasyente, kahit gabi meron pa ring tao sa room niya. In a normal situation, dapat bawas ang bisita para makapagpahinga ang pasyente," Villanueva said.

Increased number of visitors

Also during the hearing, Bien said the number of Napoles' visitors increased in the last two weeks.

Inspector Gary Bregunda, team leader of the police officers securing Napoles, admitted he was not aware of the hospital's policy on visitors as he was just new to the post.

He said most of Napoles' visitors were relatives, lawyers, and doctors.

"There is a list of authorized visitors on our table. We have the visitors sign the log book before entering the room," he said.

Bregunda said if someone who wants to visit Napoles is not on the list, that person will not be allowed to enter the room.

He added that he does not know how long the visitors stay inside the room.

Asked if he knows what Napoles is doing inside the room, Breguda said he is not aware as the security staff stay outside the room.

Among the known personalities who visited Napoles recently were Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

Napoles, tagged as the mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, has been detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna since Sept. 1, 2013 for a separate serious illegal detention charge.

She had a total hysterectomy on April 23 at Ospital ng Makati after cysts were found in her uterus.

Napoles had sought permission from the court to allow her to extend her stay at the Ospital ng Makati due to bleeding. — RSJ/KBK/BM, GMA News

Tags: banatykaban, porkbarrelscam, janetlimnapoles