Sen. Lacson flags ‘hospitalization pattern’ among high-profile arrests

Xian Karl Armand Lopez

Senator Panfilo Lacson on July 11 questioned what he described as a repetitive pattern of government officials being hospitalized after facing arrest over criminal charges.

The senator raised the issue following the recent hospitalization of former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta after legal actions were taken against them. 

“Since time immemorial, when a prominent personality is cited in contempt or faces arrest, he/she suddenly gets sick and needs to be hospitalized,” Lacson said in an interview with DZMM

Lacson pointed to Bonoan and Marcoleta as recent examples. Bonoan was reportedly hospitalized after his arrest due to high blood pressure, while Marcoleta was brought to the Philippine National Police General Hospital after being diagnosed with mild pneumonia.

Beyond the hospitalizations, Lacson also questioned the use of government resources for the confinement of non-PNP personnel at the PNP General Hospital. 

“One issue is that the PNP-GH has its own budget, funded by taxpayers. Those authorized to be confined there are PNP members or their dependents. But who shoulders the costs for the stay and medication of Bonoan and Marcoleta? As far as I know, neither of them are PNP dependents,” he said.

Lacon said he will raise the concern during the deliberations of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) proposed budget for the year 2027 to clarify who may be legally admitted to the PNP-GH and who should shoulder the expenses of non-qualified dependents.