Ivler tells court he 'wants to die'

MANILA, Philippines - Road rage murder suspect Jason Ivler yesterday told the judge trying his case that he would opt for death rather than be refused surgery to reverse his colostomy.

“I would much prefer to die (than have the bag attached to me forever),” he told Judge Alexander Balut of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 during a hearing on his motion seeking to be confined anew at a hospital and surgery to reverse his colostomy.

Ivler underwent colostomy after he sustained gunshot wounds during his arrest in January. He was confined for more than a month at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center until the court deemed he was well enough to be sent to the Quezon City Jail.

Because of the colostomy performed on him, Ivler has been defecating through a bag and not through his anus. He now wants to undergo surgery at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City to reverse his colostomy.

According to Ivler, he has trouble sleeping because of his medical condition – he cannot lie on the right side of his body because of his injured right shoulder; he cannot lie on his left side and on his stomach because of the colostomy bag; and he cannot lie on his bag because of a gunshot wound there.

Ivler, who is accused of killing Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. in a road rage incident in November 2009, also claimed pus has been coming out of the exit wound in his back for more than a month.

Also during yesterday’s hearing, Balut told Ivler’s camp to remove the tarpaulin they had put up just outside the courtroom that stated: “Judge Balut, respect Jason Ivler’s human rights.”

According to Balut, it violates the sub judice rule disallowing parties to comment on the merits of the case. He said if any of the camps would do anything similar, he may cite them for contempt of court.