Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has revealed that he was diagnosed with leukemia after undergoing a quintuple bypass heart surgery in 2023.
In an interview with journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdez, Remulla disclosed his health issues that arose while serving as the Department of Justice secretary.
‘In 2023, I was diagnosed with a heart condition that required bypass surgery. I had surgery, I had a quintuple bypass, and when I was recovering, I was diagnosed with cancer – leukemia, a cancer of the blood,’ Remulla said.
A quintuple bypass is done to treat blocked arteries that supply blood to the heart, while leukemia is characterized by an abnormally high number of white blood cells.
Remulla said he has since recovered from the blood cancer after undergoing two cycles of chemotherapy, total body radiation, and a bone marrow transplant to produce healthy blood cells.
The ombudsman’s son was his bone marrow donor during the transplant, which led to Remulla’s recovery from leukemia.
‘My blood now is not my old blood. It is blood from my son. We are a full match, that’s how I recovered and the prognosis looks good,’ Remulla shared.
It was the first time Remulla disclosed his bout with leukemia.
In 2023, he went on a 10-day wellness leave at the DOJ for ‘personal reasons’ and later disclosed that he underwent a bypass surgery.