Road-rage killing suspect Jason Ivler Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the murder charge slapped against him for the killing of Renato Ebarle Jr., son of a Malaca?ang undersecretary, in November 2009. Ivler entered the plea during his arraignment at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 presided by Judge Alexander Balut. Present at the proceedings were Ivler's mother Marlene Aguilar and stepfather Stephen Pollard. The prosecution sought to have Ivler transferred to a regular detention cell, but Dr. Romeo Abery of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center said the murder suspect remains unfit for incarceration at the Quezon City jail. “The wound is still open. As of now he still has sutures on the abdomen. Still needs medical (assistance),” the doctor said. “He could not sit down for a long time.” Ivler was lying down on a stretcher during the duration of his arraignment. The suspect will remain under NBI custody at the QMMC, pending a discharge order from the hospital, Balut said. In the meantime, Ivler's camp said they were satisfied that the suspect won't be transferred to a regular cell yet due to his health condition. “It will only inflict unnecessary pain on the accused. That's persecution,” defense lawyer Alex Medina said. Balut also set the preliminary conference on Ivler's case on Feb. 25 and 26, and the pre-trial on March 2. On the other hand, Ebarle Jr.'s kin said they want a private doctor to examine Ivler, pointing out that 21 days of confinement should be enough for him to recuperate. “We will file a motion asking the court to allow our own doctor [to examine Ivler], so that the doctor can give an opinion whether he [Ivler] should be transferred to a regular detention cell or not,” said the victim's father, Presidential chief of staff Renato Ebarle Sr., in an ambush interview with reporters. Ivler allegedly shot Ebarle Jr. over a traffic altercation in Quezon City last Nov. 18. He was arrested two months later at his mother's home in Quezon City. Prior to Ebarle Jr.'s killing, Ivler was already charged with homicide through reckless imprudence for the death of Malaca?ang Undersecretary Nestor Ponce Jr. in a vehicular accident in 2004. Ivler failed to show up in court hearings and supposedly escaped from the law, prompting the government to declare him a fugitive. The Ponce case was still pending at a Pasig City court. Ivler was also charged with direct assault with attempted and frustrated murder for exchanging gunfire with law enforcers during his arrest last January 18, 2010. Ivler entered the plea during his arraignment at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 presided by Judge Alexander Balut.
