By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
UNABLE to hide the truth that ex-mayor Vicente Emano was placed under intensive care at the Capitol University Medical City (CUMC) in Gusa, allies of the erstwhile leader yesterday downplayed talks about their leader’s health condition.
In Macabalan, a village councilor went to the extent of peddling an outright lie during flagaising rites at the barangay hall––he said reports about Emano being rushed to the hospital and being placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) were all lies, adding that the former mayor only had a medical check-up.
Councilor Alexander Dacer, a known Emano supporter, had denied over the weekend that the ex-mayor was admitted to the CUMC. But yesterday, after news broke that it has been confirmed that Emano was being treated in the ICU, Dacer said it was “normal” for people to get sick from time to time, and ex-mayor’s condition was far from serious.
“Nagpa-condition lang si Mayor Emano. Basin mogawas na ’to siya sa Wednesday,” he said. But on Saturday afternoon, Dacer told the Gold Star Daily that the 74-year old Emano merely went to CUMC for a medical examination, and the ex-mayor supposedly went home after the check-up.
Dr. Jesus Jardin, CUMC medical director, confirmed that Emano was admitted to the hospital but added that he only found out yesterday morning.
“Karon pa sad ko nasayod nga na-admit diay siya (Emano) dinhi kay nagtawag sa ako ang akong secretary kay na-a lagi mga taga-media mi-anhi dinhi sa akong clinic kay gusto mag-inquire,” Jardin said.
Other than that, Jardin said, he could not give details or give a medical bulletin without the consent of Emano’s family. “Dili man pareho niadtong pagka-admit ni former Mayor Ruthie Guingona sa Gingoog City nga gihatagan ako ug authority ni Sen. Teofisto Guingona III nga akoy ilang spokesperson. Karon, sa iya ni Emano wala man, so dili ako makahatag sa medical bulletin,” said Jardin.
He also said physicians are prohibited from discussing their patients’ medical condition in public unless given authority by their families or by the patients themselves.
Jardin declined to say where Emano was in the hospital although a staff member at the CUMC’s admitting section revealed on Saturday that the ex-mayor was rushed to the emergency room at 10:30 am on Saturday, and then wheeled to the ICU. The CUMC staffer revealed this after checking the hospital’s database.
Dacer yesterday said he has not seen Emano since Saturday because the ex-mayor was in the ICU. He said, “Unsa-on pagbisita nato nga tu-a man siya sa ICU? Basta ICU, wala may la-ing tawo makabisita diha.”
He said there was nothing to worry about because “dili seryoso ug dili grabi ang gibati nga sakit ni Mayor Emano.” Councilor Ramon Tabor said Emano’s condition was “stable” but visitors were not allowed to see him. “Gi-bawal ang mga bisita,” he said.
Tabor said Emano merely went to the CUMC on Saturday for a medical check-up in preparation for his campaign for the mayoral post next year.
“Kay magpa-check man siya (Emano) ang gihimo sa iyang doctor gi-thorough na lang,” Tabor said. He said Emano suffered from hypoglycemia, a condition when a person has an abnormal low blood sugar usually resulting from excessive insulin or a poor diet. It was the same condition the then Chief Justice Renato Corona suffered from while he was being grilled in the Senate at the height of his impeachment trial.
“Nag-low ang iyang sugar ug gi-laboratory na lang dayon,” said Councilor Leon Gan, Emano’s former city administrator.
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