Madrigal denies she has A(H1N1) flu

MANILA, Philippines – It was just fever, not the A(H1N1) flu, Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal said of the sickness that forced her to postpone an ethics trial hearing of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. last Thursday. "Hindi naman ito H1N1 virus, simpleng lagnat [This is not the H1N1 virus. It was a simple fever]," Madrigal said in an interview on dwIZ radio Saturday. She also declined Sen. Rodolfo Biazon’s suggestion that she undergo tests to make sure she had not caught the A(H1N1) virus. Last Thursday, Madrigal asked to postpone a scheduled hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole handling her ethics complaint against Villar, saying she was sick. Madrigal, who was to take the witness stand last Thursday, had said in her complaint that Villar and his companies benefited from the realignment of the C-5 Road extension. She said she had been feverish since May 28, when her committee held a hearing on the sex video scandals involving celebrity doctor Hayden Kho Jr. After the Kho hearing, she said she did not get rest because she prepared to testify on the Villar ethics trial scheduled for June 1. “May lagnat ako nang nag-conduct ako hearing ni Hayden [Kho]. Tapos di na kami natulog, prepare kami ng testimony sa Villar case [I already had fever when I conducted the Kho hearing. Then I did not have much sleep anymore because I prepared my testimony]," she said. When asked if she felt offended over Biazon’s suggestion to take tests that she may have A(H1N1), she said she did not. "Bakit ako ma-offend [Why should I be offended]? It’s a valid concern," she said. Madrigal said she is now waiting for Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to announce when the next hearing will be. - GMANews.TV