The Philippine National Police (PNP) brought Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila on Tuesday for a court-ordered medical evaluation.
A PNP van carrying Marcoleta left the PNP General Hospital (PNPGH) in Camp Crame at around 11 am.
He was returned to the police hospital after completing the examination and arrived there at approximately 1:30 pm.
PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said Marcoleta was taken to PGH on orders of the Sandiganbayan “for medical evaluation.”
Co said the examination may have been intended to determine whether Marcoleta is medically fit to stand trial.
“The Sandiganbayan wants a third party evaluation to erase any doubts or questions regarding the health status of Sen. Marcoleta,” Co said.
Marcoleta has been confined at the PNP General Hospital (PNPGH) since July 6, shortly after his arrest in connection with a P75-million plunder case pending before the Sandiganbayan.
He was brought to the hospital after experiencing chest pain and was later diagnosed with elevated blood pressure, mild pneumonia and high cholesterol levels.
Marcoleta’s three co-accused—former Quezon City lawmaker Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray—were also separately arrested on July 6.
They are currently detained at the Quezon City Jail.