Sandigan justice questions Sara Duterte, Padilla visit to sick Marcoleta

Sandiganbayan Third Division Associate Justice Ronald Moreno on Friday questioned why Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robin Padilla were allowed to visit detained Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is being treated for pneumonia, a communicable disease.

Moreno asked Philippine National Police officials, who made a report on Marcoleta’s health condition, why Vice President and Padilla were able to visit Marcoleta even if Police Lieutenant Colonel Benaly Bayani, chief of PNP General Hospital's Internal Medicine Department, recommended isolation for Marcoleta.

Marcoleta is in detention for a P75-million plunder case over his undeclared campaign donations. He was ordered arrested last July 6.

“He has pneumonia. Why are we allowing him to be visited by several individuals? He is under your care,” Moreno said.

Bayani replied that she was not around when Padilla and the Vice President arrived to visit Marcoleta.

Asked if she is not taking command responsibility, Bayani replied: “We will look into it.”

PNP Health Service director Brigadier General Portia Manalad, for her part, told the court "it was a lapse on our part."

"It won't happen again," she added.

Fit to travel

Bayani also said that Marcoleta is fit to travel.

“Yes, provided he will be wearing [face] mask,” Bayani replied to Sandiganbayan Third Division chairperson and Associate Justice Karl Miranda when asked if Marcoleta is fit to travel.

Miranda asked the question since Marcoleta, who is under hospital detention for heart-related and pneumonia ailments, will have to be brought before the Sandiganbayan for the issuance of a commitment order or the order stating where he will be detained and his subsequent arraignment.

Arraignment is a court process wherein the accused enters a plea to the offense.

Asked by the justices if Marcoleta has a life-threatening illness, Bayani said “upon admission, Your Honor, but he is now improving.”

Bayani said she is recommending hospital detention for Marcoleta until July 15 to finish the administration of antibiotics for his pneumonia.

Marcoleta is expected to be detained at the New Quezon City jail male dorm in Payatas, where his co-accused former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray are also detained.

Manalad later clarified that the PNP Health Service’s lapse was limited to failure to require Marcoleta and his visitors to wear face mask.

“I don't know with the security because it is with the CIDG. I'm just saying about the lapses that we forgot to say that they should wear face mask. That is what I asked for apology for because that is what is under my jurisdiction,” Manalad told reporters, referring to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

“But when we talk about kung anong nangyari, sino ang papayagan (what happened, who will be allowed to visit), it might be for the CIDG [to answer],” the police official added.

As a result, the Sandiganbayan ordered UP PGH Dr. Gerardo Legaspi or any medical professional that he will authorize to conduct medical examination on Marcoleta.

“Your answers to the questions of the Justice are very revealing,” Miranda said.

As this developed, the Sandiganbayan Third Division also granted the request of the Sixth Division to consolidate the plunder and violation of prohibition of receiving gifts by public official filed against Marcoleta and Joseph Espiritu and have a joint trial for the cases under the Third Division. —AOL, GMA News