Ivler delaying murder case proceedings - victim's father

The camp of murder suspect Jason Ivler is employing all means to delay the court proceedings on the case, the father of Ivler’s victim said on Tuesday. Renato Ebarle Sr., a Malacañang undersecretary, made the claim after Ivler refused to undergo a medical procedure that could supposedly expedite his full recovery. He also accused Ivler’s mother, Marlene Aguilar, of influencing his son's decision. “It seems that the mother or Ivler is refusing to undergo such procedure, so clearly, they would like to employ every amenable tactic to delay the proceedings of the case," Ebarle told reporters after the case’s pretrial proceeding at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76. Ivler was charged for the November 18, 2009 killing of Ebarle’s son, Renato Jr., over a traffic altercation along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City. Ivler is presently confined at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center where he is recuperating from the gunshot wounds he suffered when he engaged arresting government agents in a shootout last January 18. He was supposed to undergo surgery last Monday to have his wounds sutured, but he refused to give his consent. The procedure would supposedly facilitate his speedy recovery. Right to life vs right to speedy recovery Defense lawyer Alexis Medina denied they are employing delaying tactics and explained that Ivler did not give his consent because their doctor, colorectal surgeon Ramon Estrada, had told them that the suture would open Ivler to another surgical procedure on his colon. “We have no interest in delaying this case. What we want is for the accused to fully recover before trial proceeds," Medina said. The prosecution motioned to have a different government doctor from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to examine Ivler. They added that the court proceedings “should not be at the mercy of the accused." Prosecution lawyer Romeo Alcantara said they “deserve the right to a speedy trial." Medina agreed to have a different doctor examine Ivler, “provided that the doctor is a colorectal expert." Medina, however, said that based on Estrada’s medical opinion, Ivler’s wounds should be allowed to heal naturally instead of having them sutured. “The right to life has to be primordial over the right to a speedy trial. We cannot trivialize life and recklessly endanger [Ivler’s] full recovery," he told the court. QC-RTC Branch 76 Presiding Judge Alexander Balut set the succeeding court proceedings to every Tuesday. - KBK, GMANews.TV