Manila: Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan is "conscious and coherent" after being rushed to a hospital due to elevated blood pressure following his arrest on Monday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bonoan, who is currently confined at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame, was arrested in connection with graft and plunder charges linked to alleged anomalies in government flood control projects. "Based on the latest assessment of the PNP Health Service, he is currently conscious, coherent, and oriented. He has no complaints of headache, dizziness, or any immediate distress at this time," PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated.
"He remains under close observation by the hospital's medical team and continues to receive appropriate medical attention. Necessary diagnostic procedures are being undertaken to further guide his treatment and ensure comprehensive care," Nartatez added. PNP Health Service director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad mentioned that Bonoan's condition is "slowly improving."
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla shared that Bonoan registered a blood pressure reading of 192/100 after undergoing processing at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), prompting authorities to bring him to the PNP General Hospital. Despite his hospitalization, Remulla stated that Bonoan remains under full security and that access to him has been restricted.
Bonoan, along with Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former DPWH officials Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales, is under government custody after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued a second arrest warrant against them in a non-bailable plunder case. Nartatez, meanwhile, commended the CIDG for the peaceful and orderly arrest of Estrada, highlighting that the operation demonstrated compliance with lawful orders.
"By prioritizing professionalism and the rule of law, we achieved a smooth process that benefited both sides, completely avoiding unnecessary confrontation while fully upholding the dignity of our legal system. This is how professional law enforcement works," he commented. Except for Bonoan, all of the accused have been transferred to the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas, Quezon City.
