Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (File photo)
MANILA – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday rejected a lawmaker’s speculation that he was accommodated in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) through a room reserved for the President of the Philippines.
Roque, who announced that he was hospitalized after contacting Covid-19 anew on April 10, said he is currently staying in an “ordinary room” at the PGH.
“Hindi po, nasa ordinaryong room po ako (No, I am staying in an ordinary room),” he said in a virtual press briefing.
Former Health Secretary and current Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin earlier speculated that Roque may have been accommodated in a room for the President of the country in cases of emergency.
Roque said he told his doctors four days ahead that he might need admission to treat his Covid-19 symptoms.
“Nung nagsimula po ako magkaroon ng symptoms, binigyan ko na po ng timbre ang aking mga doktor dito sa PGH (When I started showing symptoms, I informed my doctors in PGH about it) and it was only when my oxygen level went down to 90 that I was asked to come. So apat na araw din po silang nabigyan ng timbre na baka ako po ay pumasok (So I told them four days ahead that I might need to get admitted),” he said.
Health experts say that normal oxygen levels usually range from 95 to 100 percent while oxygen levels under 90 are considered low.
Roque said he will be discharged from the PGH in about six days and transfer to a temporary treatment and monitoring facility (TTMFs), which usually house asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 cases.
Last Tuesday, Roque said he is feeling better, noting that remdesivir has been effective in treating his Covid-19 symptoms.
“Naging very epektibo naman iyong remdesivir sa akin. Pero ang binabantayan po talaga nila ngayon, (Remdesivir has been effective. But what doctors are monitoring now) and I’m wearing for 24 hours an ECG machine, ay iyong epekto ng Remdesivir sa puso (is the effect of remedesivir to my heart). But other than po, we are fit to transfer to a TTMF,” he said.
Roque first announced that he has a heart condition when he withdrew from the Senate race in 2019.
This is the second time Roque contracted Covid-19. On March 15, he announced that he tested positive for Covid-19, saying he was asymptomatic and recovered over a week later.
He earlier denied having received special treatment after he secured a room at the PGH, saying UP-PGH was no different from the University of the Philippines in rejecting any form of special treatment to government officials and personalities.
He explained that he was admitted at PGH because his condition “merited admission.”
“I can assure you po, gaya ng lahat ng ibang ospital, ang basis for admission po kinakailangan moderate at severe cases. Sa aking kaso po (just like other hospitals, the basis for admission is moderate and severe cases. In my case), I was in bad shape when I was admitted,” he said. (PNA)
