Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Issue No. 41                        November 25 - December 1,  2001              Quezon City, Philippines







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Democratic Space


Three days, too long for simple cataract surgery 

Erap desperate to skirt trial

The independent watchdog Plunder Watch today dubbed as “overboard” ousted President Estrada’s motion for a three-day leave for cataract-extraction surgery.

Citing statements by physicians’ groups Code Red for Good Governance (Code Red) and Health Alliance for Democracy, Plunder Watch said that “cataract-extraction has become a regular out-patient operation in the Philippine General Hospital and other government hospitals and lasts a mere 30 minutes to one hour.”

“Cataract-extraction needs no hospitalization. Ask Nanay Mameng who recently had the same surgery. She was up and alert in no time,” said Dr. Jojo Carabeo, convenor of Plunder Watch.

“It is obvious that the Estrada camp is only utilizing the ousted president’s unhealthy conditions brought about by his flamboyant lifestyle just to drag the plunder trial,” said Carabeo.

Carabeo said that the three-day leave asked by Estrada should be rejected, suggesting that “Estrada would do the nation a favor by having the cataract-extraction operation on any day wherein he is not supposed to attend the Sandiganbayan trials.”

“The medical ploy is an insult to excellent Filipino doctors,” said Carabeo.

At the same time, the activist doctor pointed out that the treatment or surgery of Estrada’s osteoarthritic knee may be done in the Philippines.

Carabeo revealed that diagnostic asthroscopy, a minor surgical operation to look into the knee joint, and even knee-joint replacement are already being done successfully at the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital.

“A US-based orthopedic surgeon has also set up the Philippine Orthopedic Institute which produced its own knee and other joint prosthesis in Laguna,” Carabeo clarified.

“If Estrada goes to the US, the money he will spend would be equal to the annual budget of the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital,” he added. 

November 24, 2001


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