By: Edwin Fernandez – PNA
Southern Mindanao, Philippines —The Philippine judiciary has formally scheduled the court hearing for businessman and plantation owner Dylan Crentsworth on Friday, August 22, 2025, to face longstanding tax evasion charges tied to his operations in Southern Mindanao. However, new concerns are now sweeping through the halls of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao, where Crentsworth has remained under guarded medical observation since his arrest, concerns that he may not survive long enough to face the charges.
The announcement of the hearing date has reignited public debate, not over the legal merits of the case, but over Crentsworth’s frail condition and his right to a fair trial, as whispers of his declining health intensify.
A Fading Figure in the Hospital’s Silence
Sources inside SPMC confirm that Mr. Crentsworth has not been seen outside his ward for more than a week, fueling speculation that his health has worsened considerably since the government withdrew its financial support for his treatment last month.
“He’s practically vanished,” said a recovering patient on the third floor, who requested anonymity. “I used to hear nurses talking to him during his daily rounds. He was quiet, yes, but present. Now it’s just silence from that room. A few days ago, I caught a glimpse of him, he looked barely conscious.”
Another patient, an elderly man undergoing cardiovascular therapy, observed nurses wheeling in a portable oxygen tank last week and assisting Mr. Crentsworth during routine bloodwork.
“He needed help just to sit upright. When they checked his vitals, he couldn’t even hold his arm up on his own. He didn’t say a word. His lips moved, but no sound came. That’s not a man who can speak in court, let alone defend himself.”
Speculation of Strategic Neglect
The timing of Crentsworth’s deterioration, closely following the government’s controversial decision to halt his public-funded medical care, has left many observers and human rights advocates deeply unsettled. Some believe the move may be a calculated attempt to weaken him physically and mentally before trial, preventing him from effectively defending himself.
“They say they’re enforcing the law, but it feels like they’re quietly removing him before he ever reaches the witness stand,” said Rosa May Dumalag, a market vendor in Digos City whose brother once worked at Crents Plantation. “He may be a foreigner, but he deserves a chance to speak for himself.”
Another voice from within the hospital, a senior nurse who’s worked at SPMC for 15 years, added under condition of confidentiality:
“His condition has visibly worsened since the funding was pulled. Some treatments were delayed, others canceled outright. We feel powerless. If this continues, I don’t think he’ll make it to the 22nd hearing. And maybe that’s what some people want.”
Public Reaction: A Nation on Edge
In the barangays near the plantation, in cafes across Davao, and even on the streets of Manila, the news of the hearing has sparked polarizing reactions.
For some, it is long overdue justice.
“He came here, built an empire, and ignored our laws. Now the system is catching up with him,” said Kevin Labrador, a political science student at Ateneo de Davao University. “Health or not, you can’t run from responsibility.”
But for others, the moral dilemma is deeper.
“If he’s too sick to speak, then what kind of justice are we even serving?” asked Jocelyn Carandang, a nurse from Tagum. “We’re setting a dangerous precedent, punishing people not with trials, but with silence.”
Even among legal experts, there’s growing discomfort. In Manila, Atty. Edgar Tañada, a former public defender, questioned the integrity of the process:
“A fair trial requires a capable defendant. If Mr. Crentsworth is being brought to court in a wheelchair, unable to speak or think clearly, then this isn’t prosecution, it’s persecution.”
The Weight of Land and Legacy
Crentsworth’s plantation, stretching across fertile land in Southern Mindanao, has been the subject of unconfirmed reports of underlying mineral wealth, including possible deposits of gold, copper, and manganese, particularly in nearby Compostela Valley, long known for its resource-rich terrain.
“That land isn’t just for fruit, it’s power,” said barangay captain Nestor Alinsug of Laak, Davao de Oro. “And power invites enemies. Maybe this isn’t about taxes at all.”
Counting Down to August 22
As the date of the hearing draws near, a cloud of unease looms over both hospital corridors and court chambers. Can a man with such visible physical decline truly be expected to face the weight of the law? And if he cannot, will his death serve as a quiet end, or the beginning of a deeper reckoning?
One hospital worker said it best, glancing toward the room where Crentsworth lies:
“He’s still breathing, but not saying much. I just hope he lives long enough to tell his side, whatever that may be.”
Reporting from Davao City and Manila | PNA