Imelda Marcos visits Mike Arroyo in hospital

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos visited First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City Sunday night. Radio dzBB’s Lito Laparan reported Monday that Mrs. Marcos said she was visiting another patient at the hospital but was unable to talk to Mr. Arroyo as he was still in intensive care. Mrs. Marcos said she relayed to the Arroyo family her wishes for the First Gentleman’s speedy recovery. Another visitor to the First Gentleman was former Trade Secretary and incoming Monetary Board member Peter Favila, the report said. Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. also visited at the hospital Sunday night, the same report said. Security remained tight at the hospital, with presidential guards keeping watch and escorting media representatives who had to go inside the hospital to use the comfort rooms. Mr. Arroyo was rushed to the hospital Thursday last week after experiencing problems possibly related to his heart surgery in 2007. [See: First Gentleman rushed to St. Luke’s due to heart trouble] President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who kept watch over her husband, had canceled her public engagements, along with her campaign for Pampanga congresswoman. But deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said there was no need for Mrs. Arroyo to catch up on her campaign. "Ang nagsabi sa kanya [na] kumandidato siya [ay mga] botante ng distrito. Sinabi sa kanya huwag kayo magabala kami bahala sa inyong distrito (The ones who asked her to run for congresswoman were the residents there. They will take care of the campaign)," Planas said in an interview on dzXL radio. "Ang kampanya isasantabi muna hanggang ligtas ang maybahay niya (Mrs. Arroyo will have to set aside her campaign to attend to her husband’s health)," she added. — RSJ, GMANews.TV