What's GMA's real medical condition?

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang Monday advised Raul Lambino, lawyer of former President and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, to let her doctors tell the real score about her medical condition after giving a misdiagnosis of his client.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda criticized Lambino for posing as one of Mrs. Arroyo’s doctors when he reportedly claimed she is in serious health condition and requires medical treatment abroad.

Lacierda said Lambino later belied making such statement about Mrs. Arroyo’s dire health condition and accused the Aquino government of persecuting the former leader.

“It will be to everyone’s benefit if Lambino leaves commentary on his principal’s medical condition to those who gave detailed medical bulletins to the public in the past – Rep. Arroyo’s doctors and surgeons,” Lacierda said in a statement titled “On the misdiagnosis of Doctor Lambino.”

From the regular medical bulletins issued by doctors, Lacierda said they are puzzled why Lambino made his own analysis about Mrs. Arroyo’s health condition.

He claimed Lambino “donned a doctor’s gown and proceeded to issue an update on what he said, were the opinions of his principal’s doctors on her medical condition” last Saturday.

Lambino’s statements about the supposed dire health condition of Mrs. Arroyo were featured on television and online news, according to Lacierda.

“We are not alone in wondering why attorney-turned-doctor Lambino decided to comment on the medical condition of his client,” the Palace official said.

“We are not surprised, however, that in apparently having to make an about-face for whatever reason, he disowned his previous statements by engaging in the usual squid tactics to push the political line that Mrs. Arroyo faces persecution and not justice. The opposite is true, but in the current situation, that’s beside the point,” he added

Lacierda explained that the Palace merely reacted to Lambino’s statement when they left to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to determine if she will retain Mrs. Arroyo on the watchlist of the justice department.

Since she is included in the watch list, Mrs. Arroyo, who faces several plunder charges, needs to get permission from the Department of Justice before she can travel abroad.

Lambino denied reports quoting him as saying Mrs. Arroyo is in serious medical condition and her doctors have advised her to seek medical treatment abroad.

Lambino alleged that the “political operators” of President Aquino as those behind the disinformation campaign against Mrs. Arroyo. He claimed that Mrs. Arroyo has no plans to seek hospitalization abroad to supposedly escape from cases filed against her.

Meanwhile, the former President remains confined at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the St. Luke’s Medical Center at Global City, Taguig City, as a precautionary measure against infection.

Marilen Lagniton, the hospital’s spokesperson, said the 64-year-old former Chief Executive is being tightly watched by her doctors to guard her against infection.

She disclosed that Mrs. Arroyo is doing well and there has been no change in her medical bulletin contrary to earlier speculation that her condition got worse over the weekend.

source: mb.com.ph