Ampatuan grandson in massacre case seeks treatment

MANILA, Philippines – A grandson of Andal Ampatuan Sr. is asking to be confined in a government hospital anew, saying he is suffering from “medical maladies.”

Datu Anwar Jr. or “Datu Ipi” Ampatuan, appealed to a Quezon City court to immediately order his transfer to the Philippine General Hospital or other government hospitals because of his “life-threatening injuries.”

But the accused clarified that he was not asking for hospital arrest during the trial of the Maguindanao massacre.

He said he only wanted to be confined for treatment and recovery and would be willing to be guarded during his stay.

In a four-page urgent motion for hospital confinement, the accused claimed that the infirmary at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Bicutan, Taguig City has been inadequate for his medical needs.

The pleading was filed Thursday through defense counsel, lawyer Emmanuel Brotarlo, before the Regional Trial Court Branch 221.

Datu Ipi was transferred to his detention cell from the PGH on April 23 where he was confined following a bomb blast on Mar. 25.

He is one of the 196 charged for the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, which left 57 people dead.

Datu Ipi was arrested on Mar. 25, while seeking treatment at a Maguindanao hospital for injuries he sustained in Mamasapano town.

According to the Ampatuan grandson, he still suffers “medical maladies” such as a “gaping wound at his back, vision and hearing defects, pain and numbness in his stomach down to his extremities resulting in continued paralysis.”

He added that the jail infirmary has not been “conducive” for his recovery as “it is merely equipped with two electric fans.”

The accused said he urinated blood during his stay at the infirmary.

“The motion is made in good faith and pursuant to Datu Ipi’s constitutional right to life…,” the pleading added.