Andal Jr. allowed two-day hospital stay

MANILA, Philippines - Months after his father died due to terminal liver cancer, Maguindanao massacre primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. is also showing initial signs of a liver illness. 

Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes has allowed Andal Jr. to be confined for two days at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) to undergo various medical procedures. 

Senior Inspector Lloyd Gonzaga, jail warden of the Quezon City Jail-Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, said they have yet to bring the suspect to the NKTI as they are still coordinating with hospital officials.

Based on a medical certificate submitted to the court, Andal Jr. was diagnosed to be suffering from fatty liver and early liver cirrhosis. 

The judge said Andal Jr. should immediately be brought back to his detention facility following the procedures and ordered his lawyer, Salvador Panelo, to immediately submit the results of all medical procedures and tests that will be conducted on his client.

Meanwhile, Solis-Reyes denied the request of Panelo to postpone the presentation of Andal Jr. as witness to his own bail plea. 

She reminded Panelo to present him before Dec. 17, “otherwise he shall be deemed to have waived his right to further testify on ‘rebuttal’ evidence.”