Philippine First Gentleman in hospital for pre-surgery preps

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of outgoing Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was brought to the St. Luke's Medical Center in preparation for surgery on his spinal column.

Arroyo's legal counsel Ruy Rondain said there is "nothing urgent" about his client's confinement at the medical facility, and is only undergoing "pre-operation prep" for his surgery on Saturday. He is expected to be confined for 10 days.

Arroyo said earlier that he had been advised by his doctors to undergo the surgery now, while he is still in good physical condition, to fix his "unstable" spinal column.

Juris Soliman, Arroyo's Chief of Staff, said Arroyo's back pain began after a helicopter he was riding crash landed in the early 1990s.

"It never got better. He went to the best doctors but it didn't seem to help," Soliman said.

Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said in a news briefing that President Arroyo would work around her schedule to be with her husband.

Source: Xinhua