MANILA, 13 December 2004 — Movie star Fernando Poe Jr., the reluctant politician who refused to concede defeat in the May presidential election, was in a coma yesterday after suffering a stroke following a drinking bout with friends.

The 64-year-old actor known as “King of Philippine Movies” was admitted to the intensive care unit of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City after experiencing nausea and complaining of pain in the back of his neck, said his former campaign spokesman, Rep. Francis Escudero at a press conference.

“Initially, he thought it was only because he changed his eyeglasses, but later he could no longer stand his dizziness,” Escudero said. “He did not fall to the ground but his condition was no longer normal so we rushed him to the hospital.”

Escudero said they decided to bring him to hospital at around 11:20 p.m.

Poe later slipped into a coma and doctors needed to conduct more tests over the next 72 hours to predict his chances of recovery, Escudero said.

Poe was with his close friends, including Escudero, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and actors Eddie Garcia and Jaime Fabregas, at his studio in Del Monte Avenue, Quezon City Saturday night when he complained of nausea.

Ousted President Joseph Estrada, under custody while on trial for plunder, was allowed out of confinement to visit his old friend in St. Luke’s, where doctors used drugs to try to dissolve a blood clot in his brain.

“His doctors said he’s not yet in stable condition,” a somber Estrada told reporters before heading back to detention at a military camp in Tanay, Rizal. “I know FPJ is tough and he will fight back.”

Poe’s doctor, Anastacio Aquino, said the celebrated actor “had a stroke and right now is critically ill.”

Aquino said Poe had suffered a blood clot in a vein on the right side of his brain, but said all was being done to save him.

“He is in coma and he is under observation. We will find out (soon) if his condition will stabilize or deteriorate,” Aquino said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who defeated Poe in the May 10 presidential elections, said: “I join the nation in praying for Mr. Poe’s swift and complete recovery and wish him well.”

The reclusive film star reluctantly agreed to become the opposition’s main challenger to Arroyo in the May 10 election but lost by 1.1 million votes after a lengthy and tumultuous manual vote count.

Two months later, Poe asked the Supreme Court to nullify her victory and declare him the country’s leader, accusing Arroyo’s party of committing massive electoral fraud.

Arroyo’s camp denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would eventually throw out Poe’s protest, which traditionally takes years to resolve.

Escudero dismissed any link between Poe’s ailment and his electoral defeat, saying the actor was telling friends Saturday that he was not bitter but would pursue his complaint.

Poe has since kept a low profile, staying out of public eye after the elections and only occasionally attending showbiz functions.

A survey carried out by the respected Social Weather Stations in September said most Filipinos believe that Arroyo either “probably” or “definitely” cheated to win over Poe.

The majority of those who suspected cheating were from the capital Manila, on the main island of Luzon and in the southern island of Mindanao.

He had earlier said he was not interested in politics, but was persuaded by his friend, former action movie star and deposed President Estrada, to lead the opposition ticket.

Estrada was replaced by Arroyo after he was ousted in a popular revolt in 2001 and is now in jail on corruption charges.

He has requested the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court for permission to visit Poe.

Best know by his initials FPJ, Poe dropped out of high school to work in films and support his family after the death of his father. He started in a film exchange office and in 1950, got his first break in a film called Son of Palaris.

The films soon made him rich and he shot to fame, playing stoic heroes who overcome fearsome odds to fight for the common man.

Playing World War II guerrillas, Robin Hood-style rebels and honest cops who are quick with their fists, “FPJ” defeated hordes of Japanese soldiers, gangsters, corrupt politicians and supernatural monsters in scores of movies.

Poe has won many acting awards, earned praise for directing some of his own films and has been a vigorous endorser of products, especially beer. (Additional input from Agencies)