‘Lorenzana in hospital for checkup, not illness’

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) yesterday dismissed as false reports that Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was hospitalized for cardiac arrest.

Reports circulated on social media on Wednesday night that Lorenzana was confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center  (VMMC) in Quezon City.

“The secretary checked into the VMMC on Monday… for an issue involving his vision, and was advised by the director of the VMMC to undergo a complete executive checkup,” DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said.

Lorenzana, in a message to reporters yesterday, confirmed that he is “undergoing executive checkup. I will be out in a day or two.”

The defense chief was seldom seen in public over the past few weeks, reportedly due to his hectic schedule.

Lorenzana said that upon discharge, he will be slowing down on his work, according to his doctors’ advice.