Former Antique gov asks court to stop transfer to Bilibid

MANILA, Philippines – Former Antique provincial governor Jovito C. Plameras Jr., under hospital detention for graft, appealed to the Saniganbayan to prevent the government from transferring him to the New Bilibid Prison citing his advanced age and frail health. 

Plameras filed an appeal on July 28 with the anti-graft court’s Third Division to let him stay under hospital confinement. He told the court that his blood pressure has been erratic and doctors have had difficulty stabilizing. 

The governor has been confined in the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital since he suffered a stroke on August 11, 2014. Part of his left side of his body was paralyzed. 

“I am now 80 years and seven months old and my doctors are having difficulty restoring to normalcy my fluctuating blood pressure. My doctors have been suggesting that I get medical examinations in Iloilo City, some 100 kilometers from San Jose, Antique, but I told them that I might not withstand the travel and my condition might worsen on the way,” Plameras said.

Plameras was found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan on December 2, 2008 and sentenced him to 6-10 years imprisonment. The court also disqualified him from holding public office.

Based on court documents, in May 1997, the former governor certified the full delivery of 1,354 grade school desks and 5,246 armchairs by supplier CKL Enterprises but an inventory revealed only 1,294 desks and 1,838 armchairs were actually delivered.

Antique Governor Exequiel B. Javier filed criminal complaints against the former governor for the unexplainable disbursement of P2.7 million. 

Plameras appealed the verdict before the Supreme Court but failed to get it overturned. – Rappler.com

Hospital room photo from Shutterstock.