De Lima Regrets Going to Philippine Heart Center, “Diktador Din Nga Pala Nagpagawa Nun!”

Detained Senator Leila de Lima was allowed to be set free temporarily from prison at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center on Monday, March 12, and went to the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City for a medical check-up. But while she was happy that her request was granted, she regrets being brought to the said hospital.

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Last February 22, Sen. De Lima filed a petition to the court to allow her to undergo medical check-up, and cited a lump in her liver. Soon after, Judge Amilia Corpus of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 allowed her to visit a doctor for one day only. Apparently, she requested to be brought to the Philippine Heart Center.

“Ok naman ako, pero sabi ng doctor ko kailangan ko na talaga magpa check-up at yung (Philippine) Heart Center ang una kong naisip kasi alam kong magandang ospital yun. Pero ngayong papunta na kami, bigla kong naisip, pinatayo nga pala yun ng isang diktador na gaya ng presidente ngayon.” She told reporters in an ambush interview.

(I’m Ok, but my doctor told me that I should have a medical check-up and I thought of Philippine Heart Center because I know it’s a good hospital. But now that we’re going there, I suddenly realized that it was built by a dictator just like our president today.)

De Lima, who was arrested on February 24, 2017 due to her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), was escorted by least three convoy of vehicles when she was brought to Philippine Heart Center. The court order includes that she pays her own hospital bill for her CT-Scan and other check-up.



Apparently, the Liberal Party (LP) senator was referring to Philippine Heart Center as established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 673 issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos. Aside from offering various medical services, the hospital is also involved in cardiovascular research, training and education and public information.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao