. NEWS ROUNDUP .

Alejano with dengue, wants transfer to another hospital

DETAINED Marine Capt. Gary Alejano, one of the leaders of the Magdalo group that staged the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 and last year's Manila Peninsula Hotel standoff, is sick with dengue and has been confined since last week at the PNP general hospital in Camp Crame, his lawyer said yesterday.

Atty. Reynaldo Robles said he will request judges trying the Oakwood and Peninsula cases to allow Alejano to be brought to another hospital for a full diagnosis of his condition. He said doctors at the PNP hospital were not able to do this. He said the PNP hospital treated Alejano properly but his family still wants a second opinion outside the camp.

"His condition is now stable but we think he still needs additional medical care," Robles said. "Sinasabi ng PNP mayroon siyang dengue, may problema sa liver at iba pa, so medyo naguguluhan talaga kami."

He said Alejano's blood sample was also tested at the Armed Forces Medical Center in V. Luna, Quezon City which confirmed that he had dengue.

Senior state prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said they will not contest the request, for humanitarian considerations, as long as Alejano's lawyer and custodian gives them a guarantee that he will not escape.

Another detained Marine, Col. Ariel Querubin was transferred from the AFP Medical Center to the Philippine Heart Center last Monday to undergo a coronary angiography which would x-ray the blood vessels or chambers of his heart. - Ashzel Hachero

Still no official report on Dulmatin DNA test

ARMED Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said the US Federal of Investigation has yet to furnish Philippine authorities its findings on the DNA testing on the exhumed remains believed to be that of Indonesian bomb expert and Jemaah Islamiyah leader Dulmatin.

Indonesian police were earlier reported as saying that the DNA test conducted in coordination with the Philippine National Police was "inconclusive."

"There is still no report from the FBI or the (US) embassy. What I would like to have is a report from the FBI and the Philippine National Police, not a news account," Esperon said.

Dulmatin, for whose arrest the US was offering a $10 million reward, supposedly died after being wounded in a Jan. 31 encounter with soldiers in the outskirts of Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi.

Weeks later, an informant led the military into his alleged grave. Tissues taken from the remains found were tested for comparison with Dulmatin's kids.

In an earlier case involving the found remains of ASG chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani, Esperon said the head of the Pacific Command and Ambassador Kristie Kenney called him up and gave him a copy of the report confirming the match within a month after the FBI made the DNA test.

"Let's just wait. There could be a report already because it's been a month since they got the samples," said Esperon, adding that Kenney, who is currently in the US, might just come back with the awaited report.

If the test turns out negative, Esperon said they are sure it's still one terrorist less. "If it's not Dulmatin, then we'll go on looking for Dulmatin," he said.