QC court defers arraignment of Ampatuan grandson

Former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Quezon City Regional Trial Court deferred the arraignment for 57 counts of murder of the grandson of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

Sajid Anwar Ampatuan, alias Datu Ulo has a pending motion before the Quezon City Court Branch 221 to determine if there is probable cause to prosecute him for 57 counts of murder.

Probable cause is the existence of facts and circumstances that would led a reasonable mind, based on the facts within the knowledge of the prosecutor that the person charged is guilty of the crime for which he was prosecuted.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, during the trial agreed that the motion has to be resolved first before he is arraigned.

He was the 102nd suspect arrested in connection with the Maguindanao massacre and has a P250,000 bounty for his capture.

He was arrested last month at the corner of Monina Yllana and Margaret Montinola streets, Purmdi Village, BF Resort in Las Piñas City.

The young Ampatuan was listed as number 5 on the prosecution’s list of accused in the massacre which is being considered as the worst pre-election related case and worst case of media killing with 32 out of the 57 who were killed are journalist.

The hearing took place at the makeshift courtroom at the Quezon City Jail Annex inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.