The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) has filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) Branch 221 its medical findings regarding the health condition of Andal Ampatuan Sr. stating that there is no immediate need for the accused to be confined in a hospital despite the recommendation for further evaluation.

In a seven-page document, PGH director Rolando Enrique Domingo said that Pulmonary Critical Specialist Jubert Benedicto conducted a medical check up on Ampatuan in line with a court order.

According to Benedicto, the 69-year old accused was examined “for chief complaint of difficulty of breathing (DOB).”

“Around 2 weeks ago, he experienced transient episodes of DOB, experienced more in the early mornings relieved by sitting upright and resolved upon supplemental oxygen administration at 4 liters per minute,” said Benedicto, adding that the DOB became more frequent in the next few days that some periods required nebulization.

Benedicto said that Ampatuan's complaints of difficulties in breathing were followed by “episodes of productive cough” and that he claimed that the heat over the past few days aggravated his condition and resulted to “subsequent appearance of pruritic rashes over his neck and anterior chest area.”

Medical records also said that Ampatuan has “no chronic symptoms of cough, phlegm production, DOB, chest heaviness, or easy fatigability” and that he was a smoker of one to two packs per day for the last 50 years until it was stopped during his incarceration.

He also underwent operations for prostate and spirometry problems and undergoes annual physical and laboratory exams where results are normal.

Benedicto said that Ampatuan Sr. was “alert, conversant without difficulty, oriented” during the medical examination but noted that he had “difficulty of breathing when breathing only thru the left nostril” adding that the “patient has two pillow orthopnea and he only agreed to be examined in a supine position when we assured him that he may use two pillows. He experienced ‘drowning sensation’ when placed on a flat, supine position.”