Royina Garma (Quad-comm media)

Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez has shared what he knows about the health status of House quad-committee (quad-comm) witness and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma. 

This, after Garma’s conspicuous absence from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing on Monday, Oct. 28 on former president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs. 

"Noong [Oct.] 22 pa yan e, nagco-complain na siya nang pain sa back ng neck niya. Saka sa esopagus niya, because may history ata siya ng esophagial cancer sa yung kanyang pamilya. So sabi sa amin ng doktor, hindi siya makalunok," Fernandez, a quad-comm co-chairman, said. 

(It was last Oct. 22 when she complained about pain on the back of her neck. Her family has history with esophagial cancer. The doctor told us that she can't swallow.) 

Fernandez said the quad-comm intially turned down Garma's medical request since they supposedly had a hearing scheduled that day. 

"But now nagco-complain na naman siya so it was allowed na siya...magpacheck-up siya ng Sunday. Hindi ko lang alam what happened ngayon but I believe dumiretso sila sa ospital," said the Laguna congressman. 

(But now she complained again so she was allowed...her check-up schedule was Sunday. I don't know what happened now but I believe she went straight to the hospital.) 

Garma--in an Oct. 11 hearing of the House quad-comm--had accused Duterte of spearheading in 2016 a cash reward-driven system that allegedly encouraged police officers to kill drug suspects. 

This bombshell earned her an invite from the blue ribbon panel, which carried out its first earing on the drug war on Monday. 

On the other hand, the quad-comm in the House of Representatives has nine marathon hearings under its belt. 

Asked if he thinks Garma's hospitalization will affect her participation in future quad-comm hearings, Fernandez said only time will tell. 

"Maghe-hearing November pa kami so…antayin na lang namin yung so meron siyang time to have her check-up while kami naman after Undas na kami maghe-hearing," he said. 

(Our next hearing won't happen until November so...we'll just wait, so she has time to have her check-up while the next hearing will take place after All Saints' Day.)