Defense: 'Ailing' Maguindanao massacre witness must continue testimony

The defense camp insisted that a prosecution witness in the Maguinanao massacre trial go back to the witness stand Thursday morning after he failed to return due to stomach pains. Witness Esmael Amil Enog appeared in court before the start of the day's hearing but was eventually brought to the infirmary department inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. "The witness is vomiting and suffering from sever pain. He traveled all the way here from his residence just to attend. But his physical condition prevents him from testifying today," Regional Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Medalle informed the court. Medalle said Enog could be suffering from "gastritis" and was already being checked up by a nurse from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Enog claimed to be a former member of the Ampatuan's private army and earlier testified that he drove 36 other militiamen from Shariff Aguak to a checkpoint in Sitio Malating, where the massacre victims were believed to have been flagged down on the day of the carnage. But one of the defense lawyers insisted Enog should continue his testimony unless documents are presented to prove his condition. The massacre trial is being held inside a makeshift courtroom at the Quezon City Jail Annex, where the massacre suspects are detained, also inside Camp Bagong Diwa. Defense lawyer Paris Real requested the prosecution must first submit a duly notarized medical certificate about the witness' condition before excusing him. "We cannot be sure if he is feigning his illness," said Real. As of this posting, the BJMP nurse has yet to be summoned in court, even as Medalle assured the court the witness was not faking his illness. "The witness even asked me a while ago if the judge will be angry at him if he does not testify [in the meantime]," Medalle told Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, who is hearing the multiple murder case. — LBG, GMA News