Ivler seeks medical treatment again

MANILA, Philippines - Jason Ivler, suspect in the killing of a son of a former Palace official, yesterday asked again a Quezon City court to allow him to seek medical treatment.

In an eight-page pleading, the defense appealed to Branch 84 of the Quezon City regional trial court (RTC) to immediately order Ivler’s confinement so that his wounds and his colostomy can be treated properly.

Ivler, who is detained at the Metro Manila District Jail, said his wounds have been bleeding profusely. He suffered gunshot wounds in a shootout with policemen last year.

The urgent motion for confinement said the Bicutan detention facility and its medical staff are not properly equipped to attend to the accused’s medical needs.

This would be the second urgent motion for medical confinement that Ivler has filed before the court.

Ivler’s lawyers said that “being a detention prisoner, their client’s right to liberty is restricted, but that this should not affect his right to life and property, and to get medical treatment.”

“The baseless objections by the prosecution and Judge Bayani Vargas’ refusal to allow the accused to immediately undergo treatment and the reversal of his colostomy would be tantamount to torture and cruelty, and to a degrading and inhuman punishment against the accused, who, until now, should enjoy the constitutional presumption of innocence.”

Judge Vargas of RTC Branch 219 is the judge who earlier handled Ivler’s case but inhibited himself following requests by the parties involved as they cited bias on the part of the court.

Ivler is facing murder charges for allegedly shooting Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., son of a former Malacañang official, in a road rage incident in 2009.