Medialdea leaves The Hague Penitentiary on board ambulance

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday was taken out of The Hague Penitentiary Institution on board an ambulance with the assistance of a medical team.

At 9:51 a.m. The Hague time (4:51 p.m. in Manila), Medialdea was on stretcher and later taken inside the ambulance. 

Two minutes after, the ambulance left with Medialdea and Senator Robinhood Padilla, who served as his guardian.

Prior to this, Padilla and several staff from the Philippine Embassy in The Hague were waiting outside the penitentiary, also known as the Scheveningen Prison or the International Criminal Court (ICC) Detention Facility. Former President Rodrigo Duterte is being held in the same facility as he faces charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC.

In a statement, the Philippine Embassy in The Hague said Medialdea was “currently receiving treatment” at a hospital in The Hague. 

The embassy said Medialdea was on a scheduled visit to Duterte when the incident occurred.

"While registering at the reception counter at around 8:55 a.m., Atty. Medialdea fell ill. An Embassy official, who accompanied him to the Detention Center, immediately called for medical attention, which was provided by a Detention Center medic," the statement read.

It was unclear which hospital Medialdea was admitted.

Medialdea is a counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was brought to the "clinic" of the ICC detention facility to have his condition monitored, according to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday.

Exclusive photo by: Jay-vee Marasigan Pangan

Vice President Sara Duterte, who witnessed Duterte's pre-trial hearing before the ICC, has sought to have daily visits with her father.

In a message to reporters here, Roque said he received information that Medialdea used a wheelchair at the facility. GMA News Online could not immediately confirm this matter.

Meanwhile, GMA News Online has also requested more details from Padilla, the embassy staff, and the medical personnel about the former executive secretary's health condition. — VDV, GMA Integrated News