MANILA – The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Friday questioned why Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Robin Padilla were allowed to visit detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta at the PNP Health Service General Hospital despite doctors recommending that he be placed in isolation due to mild pneumonia.

During the hearing, Associate Justice Ronald Moreno asked hospital officials why visitors were permitted despite the recommendation that Marcoleta remain in isolation.

“Why are you allowing him to be visited? Who allowed him to be visited when according to your recommendation he should be in isolation?” Moreno asked.

Lt. Col. Benaly Bayani, chief of the hospital’s Internal Medicine Department, replied:

“Di ko po masagot.”

Marcoleta remains confined at the hospital after being diagnosed with mild pneumonia. Doctors said he continues to be monitored due to fluctuating blood pressure.

When asked whether Duterte wore a face mask during her visit, PNP Health Service Director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad responded:

“I believe, wala.”

After the hearing, Manalad acknowledged lapses in enforcing the hospital’s face mask protocol.

“We apologize that there are some lapses na nakita and we will comply with the requirement of the Sandiganbayan,” Manalad told reporters.

She clarified that the lapse was limited to the failure to require visitors to wear face masks and said decisions on who may visit detainees fall under the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

“I don’t know with the security kasi it’s with the CIDG. I’m just saying about the lapses that we forgot to say na kailangan naka-mask sila because of the condition of the senator. ‘Yun lang ang hiningi ko ng apology kasi ‘yun lang ang covered ko. Pero about the arresting, kung ano nangyari, sino papayagan, it will be for the CIDG to decide,” she said.

Bayani said she would coordinate with the CIDG to further restrict visits to Marcoleta.

Duterte visited Marcoleta at the PNP General Hospital on Tuesday, a day after his arrest on plunder charges, while Padilla visited him on Thursday.

Asked about the basis for allowing the visits, Col. John Guiagui, chief of the PNP CIDG Regional Field Unit-National Capital Region, said they were approved at Marcoleta’s request.

“Yun yung request mismo ni Sen. Marcoleta and his family. And then of course, yung legal team niya, kailangan nila mag-usap, kailangan nila puntahan para sa legal remedies nila,” Guiagui said.

He added that only two visitors had been allowed despite numerous requests.

“Andaming gustong pumasok pero dalawa lang ang napayagan. Andaming gustong pumunta. Friends, relatives, supporters niya but again, on the part of CIDG, we see to it na may restriction sa visitation niya at limited time lang,” he said.

Guiagui said he was unaware of the purpose of Duterte’s and Padilla’s visits but maintained that both wore face masks while inside the hospital.

“Dun naman sa pagpasok nila, may face mask naman sa pagpasok nila. Sa labas lang naman yung walang facemask. Sa pagpasok, syempre with the medical condition,” he said.

He added that the CIDG director approved the visits and assured the court that future visitations would strictly comply with its directives.

“Wala naman po tayong favoritism. Again it is restricted, given his medical condition. At very limited na bisita lang po,” Guiagui said.

During the hearing, Bayani also told the court that Marcoleta is already fit to travel provided he wears a face mask, although she recommended hospital detention until July 15 to complete his antibiotic treatment for pneumonia.

The Sandiganbayan ordered University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, or another medical professional authorized by him, to conduct an independent medical examination of Marcoleta.

The anti-graft court also granted the request of the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division to consolidate the plunder and violation of the prohibition on receiving gifts by public officials cases filed against Marcoleta and his co-accused Joseph Espiritu for joint trial before the Third Division.

Marcoleta is facing plunder charges over the alleged non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations from co-accused former lawmaker Mike Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu. The Sandiganbayan has yet to issue a commitment order because the senator has not yet appeared before the court following his booking. He is expected to be committed to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, where his co-accused are currently detained.