Palace shocked over presidential breast implant yarn

Manila: The presidential palace branded as "malicious" local newspaper reports saying that President Gloria Arroyo had undergone a breast enhancement procedure during the two days that she had been held under quarantine at a local hospital.

"The President did not undergo any breast implant procedure or any form of surgery. The reason for her confinement at the Asian Hospital was to undergo quarantine after returning from countries with known H1N1 cases," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.

Over a period of 13 days, Arroyo had gone on visits from influenza-infected countries, including the former British colony of Hong Kong, Brazil, Colombia, United States and Japan.

Remonde said whoever is coming out with rumours over the cause of Arroyo's confinement had been unfair to the leader.

"They should have been more civil and considered the President's sensibilities as a woman," he said.

The palace official however admitted that aside from undergoing a self-imposed quarantine on recommendations of Department of Health doctors, Arroyo underwent biopsy procedure and Magnetic Resonance Imaging to determine if a lump she had observed on her groin is cancerous.