MANILA, Philippines — Doctors opted to transfer murder and rape convict Antonio Sanchez, former Calauan, Laguna mayor, to a Manila hospital for further tests after it was ruled out that he is negative on COVID-19, the Bureau of Corrections said Monday.
Last Thursday, the Bureau of Corrections said they would no longer transfer Sanchez after the results of his COVID-19 swab test came back negative. He was earlier rushed to the hospital for vomiting and diarrhea.
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But BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said doctors again deliberated on Friday and opted to push through with Sanchez’s transfer. “Their consensus was the patient needs further tests,” he said in Filipino.
“And their decision was proved correct because it was confirmed that he has [tuberculosis] and he has multiple electrolyte imbalance,” he added.
It was also confirmed that Sanchez is stage four chronic kidney disease, Chaclag said.
BuCor on Sunday night disclosed that Sanchez was transferred to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center for referral to nephrologist and sputum exam. This was in coordination with the One Hospital Command Center of the Department of Health.
Sanchez was receiving treatment at the New Bilibid Prison hospital, but Chaclag earlier explained that it lacks other facilities as it is still undergoing construction.
Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said four personnel from the corrections bureau are guarding Sanchez.
Sanchez made headlines in 2019 following a report that he was to walk free soon following Good Conduct and Time Allowance guidelines. He was convicted for the murder of University of the Philippines students Allan Gomez and Eileen Sarmenta. Sanchez raped Sarmenta while his men beat up Gomez in 1993. — Kristine Joy Patag