Summon GMA doctors

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Government prosecutors Wednesday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to summon the doctors of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to prove their claim that the lady legislator is now recovering well after undergoing medical surgery.

Solicitor General Anselmo Cadiz told reporters that prosecutors wanted the doctors to have a day in the SC to debunk Mrs. Arroyo’s claims that her illness is life-threatening in response to the premise raised by Chief Justice Renato Corona that the right of life is a paramount human right.

Last Tuesday, defense lawyer Ivy Patdu, who is also a general medical practitioner, testified during the oral arguments before the SC that Mrs. Arroyo, as a patient, has the right to choose the doctors that she wants to treat her and the place where she wants to be treated.

The lawyer-physician also gave her insight on the medical condition of the former President, who is now under hospital arrest after anorexia, depression, and hypoparathyroidism, which doctors said to be a rare disease.

But Cadiz found the testimony of Patdu a bit “one-sided” and “biased” since the one who spoke on the condition of the ex-President was her own lawyer.

“Much of the discussion is on the medical condition of the former President. It is not the lawyer (Patdu) who is the most competent person to talk about this [condition of Mrs. Arroyo],” Cadiz said.

“We will ask the doctors [of President Arroyo] to be subpoenaed so that they can be asked by the court on what the real condition of the former President is,” he added. Cadiz said the doctors will be able to independently explain what the real condition of the former President is and not her lawyers.

He expects that the doctors of former President Arroyo will tell the truth once they testify in court as resource persons since “the doctors will be under oath.”

“I think that is fair. I think this is not a partisan thing. We just want to note the real condition of President Arroyo and we hope the SC can positively act on it. We want to know the truth. This is fair. I don’t think anyone would be on the disadvantage. To know the real condition of Mrs. Arroyo,” Cadiz added.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda supported Cadiz’s stand, saying the doctors, not the spokes-persons of Arroyo, are the “best persons” to give the diagnosis of the former leader.

Last Tuesday, the Arroyo camp reiterated that her right to travel and seek medical treatment abroad should not be impinged by a mere issuance of the executive department since it is protected under the Constitution.

Arroyo’s lawyer Anacleto Diaz said Circular No. 41 empowering the Department of Justice (DoJ) to issue watch list orders (WLOs) and hold departure orders (HDOs) in criminal cases should be declared unconsti-tutional since only a court or a law passed by Congress can impede the right to travel.

“Right to life is paramount to right to travel,” he said.

Chief Justice Renato Corona took note of the explanation of associate counsel Patdu that the right of a pa-tient to choose a doctor and a medical facility is absolute.

“The right to live life as life should be lived and the right to liberty are declared not only by the Constitution but also by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights,” she said. “It is the highest right of human beings.”

As this developed, President Benigno S. Aquino III lashed out at critics who criticized his administration’s swift move against former President Arroyo, saying he aims to triple efforts against those who committed corruption and hold them accountable for their misdeeds.

Aquino said the criticisms hurled against his administration for their efforts in pinning down the former President are pure nonsense.
source: mb.com.ph