CIDG: Senator Marcoleta requested visits by VP Duterte, Senator Padilla in hospital

Detained Senator Rodante Marcoleta and his family requested that Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robin Padilla be allowed to visit him in the hospital, a Philippine National Police official told the Sandiganbayan on Friday.

Police Colonel John Guiagui, regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region, made the statement after the anti-graft court questioned police officials over the hospital visits despite an earlier recommendation that Marcoleta be placed in isolation because of pneumonia.

"Ito din 'yung request ni Senator Marcoleta and his family. So kung makikita n'yo si Senator Padilla and Vice President Duterte lang. Ang daming gustong pumunta but we are restricting it," Guiagui said.

Guiagui said police had already denied numerous requests from other individuals who wanted to visit the senator while he remains hospitalized.

However, when asked why Duterte and Padilla were permitted to see Marcoleta despite the isolation recommendation, Guiagui replied:

"I cannot speak for that. It is the director of CIDG."

Following the disclosure, the Sandiganbayan directed Philippine General Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, or another medical professional authorized by him, to conduct an independent medical examination of Marcoleta.

The order came after the justices learned that the Vice President and Padilla had been allowed to visit the detained senator despite medical advice recommending isolation.

“Your answers to the questions of the justices are very revealing,” Associate Justice Karl Miranda said of the PNP officials' take on Marcoleta's visitors.

During Friday's hearing, Associate Justice Ronald Moreno questioned why Duterte and Padilla had been allowed to visit Marcoleta even though Police Lieutenant Colonel Benaly Bayani, chief of the PNP General Hospital's Internal Medicine Department, had recommended that the senator be isolated because he was suffering from pneumonia, a communicable disease.

Marcoleta is under detention in connection with a P75-million plunder case involving alleged undeclared campaign donations. He was arrested on July 6.