Rebel leader seeks hospital confinement

by JING VILLAMENTE
Publish in Manila Times

Communist Party of the Philippines leader Wilma Tiamzon has asked a Quezon City court to permit her temporary confinement at the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) over severe back pains that she said need further medical evaluation.

Through legal counsel Edre Olalia of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), the court was asked to allow Tiamzom to undergo immediate medical check-up at the NKTI since the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital where she is now detained has no adequate facilities and specialists to examine, evaluate and treat her medical ailments.

The motion to allow accused to undergo medical check-up and treatment was filed before Judge Madonna Echiverri of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 81.

In the two-page motion, Olalia said on August 20, 2014, his client was examined by Dr. Geneve Reyes of the Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR) after she complained of recurring dizziness, chronic fatigue and extreme back pains.

Based on her examinations, Reyes said the symptoms appear to be consistent with “vertebral artery syndrome,” a condition that may have arisen from vertebral artery occlusion, which accused was diagnosed with in 2006.

Upon review of the x-ray results of Tiamzon’s cervical spine, it was found out that she has “spondylolisthesis,” a condition of the spine whereby one of the vertebrae slips forward or backward to the next vertebra.

Olalia said Reyes recommended that tests be conducted and that the accused be seen by several specialists like cardiologist, Dr. Roberto Raymundo and a thoraco-cardio-pulmonary-vascular surgeon, Dr. Fernando Melendres.

In the same motion, he noted that based on the recommendation of Reyes, his client should undergo further evaluation through thorough examination of her physical condition and further evaluation through laboratory and other diagnostic procedures to ascertain the exact pathology underlying recurrent dizziness and hypertension.

“As the tests can be done all together in a well-equipped hospital, examining doctor has recommended the NKTI along East Avenue in Quezon City for temporary confinement while the pertinent diagnostic tests are conducted. NKTI is easily accessible from where accused is detained as it is just a few kilometers away from the PNP General Hospital where accused is presently detained,” the motion stated.

Echiverri has given the prosecution five days to comment on the motion.

Source:http://www.manilatimes.net/rebel-leader-seeks-hospital-confinement/129466/