Janet Lim-Napoles INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he return of Janet Lim-Napoles, the suspected pork barrel mastermind, to her detention quarters at Fort Sto. Domingo might not happen soon after her lawyers filed Wednesday a new motion in court appealing for her continued hospital stay.
This time, her counsels鈥� argument is her heavy bleeding, a rare complication of the surgical operation performed on her at Ospital ng Makati (Osmak).
To treat the tumors in her uterus (severe adenomyosis of the uterus with multiple adenomyomata), her doctors removed her uterus and ovaries on April 23.
Her lawyers filed the seven-page urgent motion a day after Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 ordered Napoles鈥� return to Fort Sto. Domingo not later than May 23.
Alameda denied Napoles鈥� extended hospital stay for lack of merit, noting the testimonies of the head of the hospital and her attending physicians.
In Wednesday鈥檚 motion, the lawyers asked the court to recall its order 鈥渄ue to a supervening event,鈥� citing a progress report prepared by Napoles鈥� physicians.
Complete bed rest
According to the report, Napoles started complaining of 鈥渧aginal spotting鈥� on May 17, which turned into vaginal bleeding two days later. Her doctors had been giving her intravenous fluid and a gram of tranexamic acid every six hours.
Napoles was also told to have complete bed rest and avoid stressful activities. 鈥淲e recommend continuation of hospital stay,鈥� said the doctors鈥� report, which was cited in the motion.
Two obstetrician-gynecologists from St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center鈥擡fren Domingo and Elsie Badillo-Pascua鈥攚ho were tapped by Napoles and Dr. Florentina Villanueva, head of Osmak鈥檚 gynecology and obstetrics department, held a press briefing yesterday recommending her further stay at the hospital.
Domingo said Napoles鈥� 鈥渆motional and personal crisis鈥� could have triggered the complication. He said the work she was doing to complete the affidavit to be submitted to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima could have contributed to her 鈥渟tress.鈥�
Next hearing on Friday
Judge Alameda set the hearing on the motion on Friday, 1:30 p.m.
The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said it would transport Napoles back to the detention facility in Santa Rosa City, Laguna province, within the week, unless a new court order was issued.
Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman for PNP Director General Alan Purisima, said a police group had been tasked to devise the security plan for Napoles鈥� return to Fort Sto. Domingo.
鈥淯ntil the court issues a new order, we will comply with its [earlier] resolution,鈥� he added.
The 51-year-old Napoles has been confined at the hospital since March 31.
Napoles has been under police custody for serious illegal detention of her former employee, Benhur Luy, not for engineering the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. She surrendered to President Aquino in Malaca帽ang on Aug. 28, saying she feared for her life. The President then escorted her to Camp Crame.