Judge denies hospital stay for Andal Sr.'s grandson

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City judge has denied the plea of a grandson of Andal Ampatuan Sr., who is also a suspect in the Maguindanao massacre multiple murder case, to be confined at a government hospital until he recovers from injuries he sustained in a bombing.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Regional Trial Court Branch 221, however, directed that Datu Anwar “Datu Ipi” Ampatuan Jr. be brought to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for a follow-up examination as an outpatient.

Senior Inspector John Conrad Basilio, warden of the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, was ordered by the court to escort the suspect to the PGH and back to the QCJA upon completion of the checkup.

In the order, the court noted that in letters from Datu Ipi’s attending doctors at the PGH, it was not mentioned that he needed hospital confinement.

The suspect was confined at the PGH until April 23 for several injuries, including paralysis, sustained in a bomb blast in Maguindanao in March.

He appealed that he be allowed to be confined until his injuries heal, adding that he is not asking for hospital arrest.

The accused said he has been urinating blood, among other injuries.

“The court is well aware that just like any other accused, the former is presumed innocent unless the contrary was proven. Considering that no documentary evidence was adduced to justify the accused’s hospital confinement, the same must perforce fail,” the court said.