Abortion inquiry suspect in alleged suicide attempt

JAKARTA (JP): One of two doctors allegedly involved in abortion practices attempted to commit suicide at Jakarta Police Headquarters yesterday afternoon, an officer said.

Dr. Budiman, 50, slit both wrists with a razor blade after getting permission from interrogators to go to the restroom during a questioning session, city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said.

"He allegedly found the razor blade in the restroom, which is located in the same area as the room where most of the suspects were being questioned."

Aritonang said an investigation was underway to determine how the blade was left behind. "It's still not clear yet."

Budiman, who worked at state-run Tangerang General Hospital but also allegedly worked at two abortion clinics, is now being treated at Mintohardjo Navy Hospital in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta.

A doctor at the hospital said that Budiman lost at least a liter of blood from the wounds.

"He was unconscious when he got here. He lost a lot of blood because he apparently slit not only the veins but also the arteries in his wrists," the doctor, who did not want to be identified, said.

Budiman received blood infusions and oxygen and, about 3 p.m., he was taken to the operating room for surgery.

"If the operation goes well, he'll fully recover. He's lucky because he was brought here quickly and we minimized the bleeding."

The alleged suicide attempt took place about 2:30 p.m.

Reporters who gathered at the hospital yesterday were not allowed near the operating room and an undercover detective and two marines guarded the door.

Police were still unsure about Budiman's motives for allegedly attempting to end his life.

A reliable police source said Budiman spent almost five minutes in the toilet before interrogators heard a noise coming from the restroom.

"They forced open the cubical's aluminum door, which was locked from inside," he said.

The source, who did not want to be identified, said Budiman was found on the floor with blood gushing from his wrists.

He said police were concerned the incident might affect Budiman's psychological condition.

"We don't know whether he had planned it. But we do hope that he'll recover soon so that we can proceed with our investigation."

Aritonang said that Budiman and 12 other suspects in the abortions and dumping of fetuses and babies were being interrogated by city police and Military Police investigators.

Military Police are involved because one of the suspects, a doctor, is a lieutenant colonel. Due to his status, Lt. Col. Jaya Lelana, 50, has been detained at Military Police Headquarters.

The 14 suspects, including two clinic owners, were apprehended after the discovery of 11 fetuses and babies in Warakas, North Jakarta, late last month.

Police are still tracing the whereabouts of several other people believed to have been involved in the practices.

The chief of Jakarta Police Detectives, Col. Gories Mere, said police would start questioning the clinics' clients today.

"Actually, it was scheduled to start today (Wednesday) but, for some reason, we postponed questioning until tomorrow," he said, without elaborating.

Gories said the women had been identified from the clinics' admission books and related documents at the Amalia and Fajar Pengharapan clinics, North Jakarta, which have been sealed off since the owners' arrest.

He said police intend to question the women about their reasons for having abortions and they could be required to act as witnesses in the court cases.

"We will investigate them thoroughly and, if necessary, we'll conduct DNA tests -- with the help of forensic experts -- to match the women's DNA with the fetuses."

When asked to comment, forensic expert Djaja Surya Atmaja of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital supported the police investigation but emphasized the expenses involved in DNA testing.

"Who will pay for it as it costs Rp 800,000 (US$210) per test.

"We're indeed ready to do it any time the police want," he said, but strongly suggested that police finish questioning the suspects first.

The number of women who went to the clinics for abortions could be in the hundreds and their motives could merely have been to avoid the stigma of being an unwed mother, he said.

Djaja said the doctors at Cipto had extracted DNA from five of the 11 fetuses discovered in Warakas.

A pile of "tiny" bones and skulls have been collected following the Warakas finding and disclosures about other burial sites. Forensic experts believe the bones belong to dozens of fetuses.

Djaja reminded the public that incidence of infanticide had increased significantly in recent years.

"Abortion is relatively expensive and within the means of only certain classes in our society, so killing newborns is the only way for them to solve the problem."

He said that about 60 babies were choked or strangulated to death every year.

"Such action is more sadistic but people usually prefer that method because they know that abortion is forbidden." (cst/04)