Zaldy Ampatuan leaves hospital, heads back to jail

MANILA, Philippines – Zaldy Ampatuan, suspended governor of the Autnonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, left the Philippine Heart Center, and is now headed back to jail in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

Under tight security, Ampatuan, who was confined briefly for alleged hypertension and diabetes, left the hospital at 1 p.m.

990AM reported that Ampatuan was aboard a PHC ambulance and was escorted by two mobiles of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The report said that highly trained BJMP personnel were assigned to escort Ampatuan back to his cell.

Ampatuan, a principal suspect in the deaths of 57 people in Maguindanao, including 32 journalists, in 2009, was confined at the PHC early this week, raising a howl, especially from the families of the victims of the massacre.

Ampatuan stayed in the hospital even after the Quezon City court trying his case did not issue any ruling on his petition for confinement. He sought an extension, which the same court denied.