The Philippine Online Chronicles

Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo reportedly developed a fever on Sunday night, prompting doctors to postpone the surgery to correct her spinal implants originally scheduled for today.

However, her physician Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes said that the fever was not due to infection, although they would continue to monitor the former president's condition.

“While there is no contraindication to going ahead with surgery, we want to make sure the fever is gone before proceeding with surgery,” the medical bulletin said, adding that doctors hope Arroyo's operation pushes through in the next few days.

St. Luke's Medical Center vice president for customer affairs Marilen Lagniton noted that Arroyo is doing well as she was able to do “regular things – talk, walk around, have regular meals, watch TV, and reads a lot.”

Arroyo's previous cervical spine surgery failed when doctors found the Pampanga representative has an “inherent bone problem” and a condition called hypoparathyroidism.

“There is a likelihood the former President has an inherent bone problem affecting the screws of the [spinal] implant. This poor bone quality leads to loosening or disgorgement of the implant,” Cervantes earlier explained.

Doctors put titanium implants and bone substitute in her spine during an operation back in July 29. Revision surgery was done in early August due to the dislocation of the implants, which doctors initially thought was due to “infection.”

The former president is facing multiple plunder charges before the Department of Justice and is currently in the Immigration watchlist.

However, the Palace said that they would be allowing Arroyo to seek medical assistance abroad noting that, “if there are no medical facilities or medical expertise available in the Philippines, we will not deprive the Arroyo family of getting the best medical attention they can (get).”

Meanwhile, the probe panel on the supposed election fraud during the 2004 presidential polls, which pitted Arroyo against Fernando Poe Jr.,reported that then-Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano's nephew and security aide Captain Valentino Lopez allegedly attempted to bribed Comelec Regional Director Helen Flores of Zamboanga Peninsula to “remedy the big lead of FPJ in favor of GMA.”

Garcillano and Arroyo were the reported officials in the controversial “Hello Garci” wire-tapped conversation wherein the fabrication of a million-vote lead against FPJ was discussed.