Ampatuan patriarch ordered moved to QC military hospital

A Quezon City judge on Monday ordered the confinement of Andal Ampatuan Sr., suspect in the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao province, to a military hospital for the evaluation of his medical condition. Andal Sr., currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, will be confined at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (former V. Luna Hospital) in Quezon City, according to the order issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221. The order was in response to Andal Sr.’s urgent motion requesting the court to allow him to be treated of herpes zoster in a hospital setting. According to its medical definition, herpes zoster — commonly called shingles — is an acute, localized infection with varicella-zoster virus that causes a painful, blistering rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Andal Sr., through his legal counsel Noharddin Haron, filed the motion based on the medical report of Dr. Jubert Benedicto of the Pulmonary Critical Care Specialist of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) who examined the accused last month. This was confirmed by Superintendent Claro Mundin, medical officer of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), who also examined the Ampatuan patriarch. He recommended that the accused be admitted in a secure tertiary hospital for his further medical evaluation. After considering the recommendations of both physicians, Reyes granted the motion with a corresponding order to the concerned physician who will treat and evaluate Andal Sr. to immediately furnish the court a copy of the evaluation’s result. Reyes also reminded the QC jail warden to observe the guidelines as set forth in Memorandum dated Nov. 27, 2009, issued by BJMP Jail director Rosendo Dial, which lays down guidelines to be observed in handling inmate for medical treatment or confinement in a hospital. The patriarch of the powerful Ampatuan clan is facing charges of 57 counts of murder for his alleged involvement in the massacre of 57 people, including 32 journalists in the town named after them. He was a former governor of Maguindanao. — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV