Ex-N. Ecija mayor arraigned in ambulance

MANILA, Philippines - Murder suspect and former Gapan, Nueja Ecija mayor Ernesto Natividad was arraigned yesterday as he was brought to the Manila city hall in an ambulance.

Natividad lay on a stretcher as he pleaded not guilty before Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Virgilio Alameda. He also asked the judge to transfer him from the Philippine General Hospital, where he has been detained since his arrest last January, to an undisclosed hospital.

The judge had to go down from his courtroom to the city hall’s quadrangle, where the ambulance was parked, in order for the arraignment to push through.

Natividad, who is suffering from diabetes, was accused of masterminding the murders of five people – including brothers Ericson and Eberton Pascual – at the Gapan cockpit arena in 2006.

The Pascuals and Natividads are bitter political rivals. Private prosecutors asked that Natividad’s mask be removed so he may be identified prior to his arraignment.

Natividad was on the wanted list for seven years until his arrest. Police officials earlier said there was a P1-million bounty for the former mayor’s capture.