‘Ka Bel’ in critical condition at QC hospital after bad fall

(Updated 11:18 a.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Almost a year after gaining his freedom from "hospital arrest," Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Crispin Beltran was rushed to the Far Eastern University hospital in Quezon City on Tuesday after an accident at his house in Bulacan province. The 75-year-old leftist militant leader remains confined at the the Far Eastern University Hospital in Fairview in Quezon City. In an interview on radio dzBB, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chairman Elmer Labog said Beltran is in "serious" condition, and called for prayers for Beltran's speedy recovery. Radio reports quoting Beltran's daughter Ofelia Beltran-Balleta said the lawmaker suffered least five cardiac arrests while being treated at the FEU hospital this morning. Beltran's daughter quoted attending physicians as saying that Beltran is already "brain dead" as of posting time. In a separate radio interview, Balleta said Beltran was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors tried to revive the lawmaker. “Naitakbo kaagad siya sa hospital. Pagdating doon sa North Caloocan Doctor’s Hospital, nag-arrest ang puso niya. Ni-revive siya doon at an-revive naman. Mga 10 a.m., napagpasyahan naming na ilipat siya sa FEU Hospital. Along the way from Caloocan, nag-arrest siya uli. Narevive naman uli siya. While here in the hospital, four times siyang nag-arrest," Balleta said. “Sabi ng doctor… brain dead na rin siya. Humihinga siya kapag sinasaksakan siya ng gamot at nire-resuscitate pero after wards after five minutes, nag-aarrest siya uli. So this time, mukhang hindi na rin kayang i-revive. Ganun kalala," she added as she broke into tears. Labog said Beltran was initially rushed to a hospital in Caloocan City at 6 a.m. but was transferred to the FEU Hospital as the first hospital lacked proper facilities. In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Cherry Clemente, Anakpawis secretary general, said went up to the roof of their bungalow house to do some repairs. “Medyo mataas yung inakyat niya, nagdilim daw ang paningin tapos bumagsak sa semento (The roof was quite high. He reportedly lost consciousness and fell on the concrete floor)," Clemente said, noting that Beltran was "hands-on" when it comes to household chores. Clemente said Beltran’s head and eyes were swollen when he was rushed to the hospital. “He is in critical condition," Clemente said. Clemente said Beltran was supposed to file Tuesday a bill for the repeal of value added tax on power. "He is preparing to go to Congress but he has to finish some chores first," Clemente said. Only last July, Beltran was discharged from the Philippine Heart Center after being kept there since early 2006 over rebellion charges. - GMANews.TV