Querubin rushed to military hospital due to breathing problem

By Ronron
March 19, 2008

Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, one of the accused mutineers in February 2006, was brought to the hospital last Tuesday due to breathing problem, his wife told reporters Wednesday.

Maria Flor Querubin said her 51-year-old husband first complained of chest pains at around 3am Tuesday while inside his detention cell at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) compound in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

But he just endured the pain until 7am when he woke up and asked to be brought to the camp hospital.

“He had to walk out of the detention compound because no vehicle can go in the detention area,” Mrs. Querubin said.

However, the awarded officer failed to get the kind of medical attention he needed because the X-ray machine at said hospital was not working, and it also had no available muscle relaxant medicines, said Mrs. Querubin.

She complained that it took two hours before her husband was transferred to the AFP Medical Center along V. Luna Street in Quezon City, where he was promptly attended to by specialists.

Mrs. Querubin blamed the delay in the transfer of her husband to the AFP Medical Center to Col. Arnulfo Marcos, the military custodian, who told the camp hospital doctors that a clearance is needed from higher authorities.

Mrs. Querubin said that upon arrival at the AFP Medical Center, her husband was immediately brought to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and breathes with an oxygen supply until yesterday.

“They are monitoring if there is damage to his heart,” she said, adding that her husband is already in stable condition.

“According to the cardiologist this morning, he will recommend for coronary angiography to be done at the Philippine Heart Center to rule on any pathology of the heart,” she added.

But she said that this can only be done if AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. approves it.

Mrs. Querubin recalled that when her husband was still detained at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, the camp doctor diagnosed him to have asthma bronchitis.

Querubin is facing Articles of War violation charges before a military court due to his alleged participation in the attempted power grab plot in February 2006.

He is a recipient of the highest military award, the Medal of Valor./DMS