Palace wants Zaldy examined by govt doctor

(Updated 9:47 p.m.) Malacañang on Friday said it wants the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to task the director of the Philippine Heart Center to examine the medical condition of suspended ARMM Governor Rizaldy Ampatuan. “For the purpose of transparency, siguro mas mabuti na rin na magkaroon ng government doctor to examine Mr. Zaldy Ampatuan," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Friday. Lacierda said the best suited to do the examination is cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Manuel Chuachiaco, the PHC medical director. The palace spokesman also reiterated the government’s request for Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 to release the findings of the medical tests done on Ampatuan. Though Ampatuan is back in detention in Taguig, one of the private prosecutors in the Maguindanao massacre case still wants the doctors who attended to Ampatuan at PHC to explain why they were unable to release their patient at the earlier appointed time. "We asked the court to ask the doctors to explain why they should not be cited for contempt for failure to comply [with] the original order of the court," lawyer Nena Santos said as she filed her petition for a “show cause" order before the QC RTC. Dr. Danny Kuizon, Ampatuan's attending physician, wrote Judge Solis-Reyes asking for an extension of his patient's stay in the hospital. Kuizon cited the still-bleeding incision through which the angiogram on Ampatuan was done. An angiogram requires the examining doctor to make an incision at an artery, usually the large femoral artery on the thigh. The doctor inserts a catheter into the incision and up the artery. A travesty of justice Santos said she wondered why a diabetic-stricken Zaldy suddenly complained of heart problems when he was at the PHC. "It is a travesty of justice… The doctors were apparently used by Zaldy to get a favorable relief from the court." Santos said. Detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, Ampatuan was brought to the Heart Center in Quezon City Wednesday after securing a court order allowing him to have a medical check up. He was supposed to return to jail on the same day but Ampatuan’s attending physician, Dr. Kuizon, recommended that the patient stay in the hospital for further tests. The angiogram performed on Ampatuan showed that he was suffering from "insignificant" and "non-critical" coronary artery disease. He was brought back to Camp Bagong Diwa Friday afternoon after the judge did not come up with a ruling on Zaldy's latest request for an extension of confinement. The BJMP transported the suspended ARMM governor, who is also a principal suspect in the Nov. 2009 Maguindanao massacre, back to Camp Bagong Diwa at noontime Friday. Malacañang shares Roque’s view Attorney Harry Roque, the private prosecutor, who represents 15 of the 32 journalists killed in Maguindanao, said his camp will not back down on its court request to have Zaldy and Metro Manila Jail District warden Chief Inspector Edgar Camus cited for contempt. Roque wanted the BJMP to explain why it did not follow to the letter, the first confinement order the judge issued Tuesday. That directive contemplated only a visit and did not state overnight confinement. "We will pursue contempt to teach BJMP a lesson to heed the court and not Zaldy," Roque said. Malacañang shares Roque’s view. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Department of the Interior and Local Government will be asked to find out why the BJMP allowed Ampatuan to stay longer at the hospital while waiting for the judge to decide on the request for extended hospital stay Ampatuan made through legal counsel. "We wanted Zaldy Ampatuan brought back to [Camp Bagong Diwa] last night. ‘Yan po ang klarong dapat ginawa dahil ang utos lang po [ng korte] ay hospital visit," Lacierda said on Friday. BJMP director Rosendo Dial has acknowledged that they could be held liable for violating a court decision. Dial explained that he did not want to disregard the doctor's advice to keep Ampatuan at the hospital. Thursday night, Judge Solis-Reyes allowed Ampatuan to extend his stay at PHC. The judge set a deadline of noontime the next day for the patient to be returned to detention in Taguig. "The request for hospital confinement is hereby granted in order that the necessary medical examination/test of said accused may be administered by Dr. Danilo Kuizon, who is hereby directed to complete the recommended medical examination/test including the angiogram not later than 12:00 o'clock noon on July 22, 2011. Upon completion thereof, the Jail Warden of the Quezon City Jail Annex is directed to immediately bring back the accused to Camp Bagong Diwa without further delay," Judge Solis-Reyes' order said. — ELR/VS, GMA News