Lawyers tell court: It will be hard for ‘partially mobile’ Zaldy Ampatuan to keep tabs of his meds

MANILA, Philippines – Former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan is partially paralyzed and is required to undergo physical therapy sessions, his lawyers told Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 as they insisted on his immediate transfer from New Bilibid Prison (NBP) detention facility to its infirmary.

“Since he was transferred to the NBP, he no longer undergoes physical therapy sessions,” his lawyers said in open court. They said Ampatuan needed three times a week therapy, apart from the medication he needed to take.

The lawyers said while the NBP personnel are assisting the former governor, he often takes his medication on his own which is hard.

“Is he immobile?” Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes asked the lawyers.

“He is partially mobile,” said his lawyers. 

“It will be hard for him to monitor his medications on his own,” they added.

In October, he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. He stayed at the Makati Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit until October 29, 2019. After that, he was transferred to a regular room until the QCRTC ordered his transfer back to Camp Bagong Diwa for the promulgation of the Maguindanao massacre case last Dec. 19, 2019.

His daily medications include 14 kinds of medicines that needed to be taken daily, one medication to be taken four times a week, one requires four times one drop daily and 14 units of insulin at bedtime.

READ: Zaldy Ampatuan seeks transfer to NBP infirmary ‘due to health reasons’

Government prosecutors were given three days to comment, after which, the Court will submit the case for decision.