Judge admits most evidence vs massacre suspects
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—A Quezon City court has admitted nearly all the exhibits submitted by the prosecution to oppose the bail request made by a dozen accused of 57 counts of murder in the Maguindanao massacre, including suspected mastermind ex-provincial Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.
The judge will resolve the bail petitions after the court issues an order on the formal offer of evidence by the prosecution on a 58th murder count and the defense terminates its presentation of evidence.
Others who sought bail, aside from Ampatuan Sr. and Chief Insp. Sukarno Dicay, former head of the Maguindanao provincial police, were Nasser Esmail, Nicomedes Tolentino, Armando Ambalgan, Misuari Ampatuan, Taya Bangkulat, Salik Bangkulat, Salipad Tampogao, Moktar Daud, Macton Bilungan and Mohades Ampatuan.
198 suspects, 58 killed
They were part of the 198 suspects in the massacre that claimed 58 fatalities, including 32 media workers, who were stopped in their vehicles and killed on Nov. 23, 2009, outside Ampatuan town while on their way to file then Buluan town Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao against Andal Ampatuan Jr.
Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, in her 34-page May 8 order, admitted into evidence nearly all the 300 exhibits offered by the prosecution, including the complaint-affidavit of now Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, whose relatives were also killed, and the sworn statements of other witnesses, particularly former Ampatuan town Vice Mayor Rasul Sangki and state witnesses Sukarno Badal and Esmael Canapia.
Also admitted were telecommunications company billing records as well as medico-legal reports and pictures, all of which state prosecutors hope will convince the judge to deny bail to the accused.
Reyes, however, did not take into evidence the testimonies of former Datu Abdullah Sangki town Sangguniang Bayan member Mohammad Sangki, former PO1 Rainer Ebus and Insp. Rex Ariel Diongon, all of whom also stand accused in the massacre, pointing out the court had previously denied their bids to turn state witness.
Sangki had testified to seeing the Mangudadatu convoy flagged down at a checkpoint and the 58 victims executed, while Diongon said he was forced to sign a sworn statement saying the checkpoint they were stopped at was established following a bomb threat. Ebus testified that he saw then Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his men slaughter the victims.
Photographs rejected
The judge likewise rejected sworn statements executed by Diongon and Ebus in 2009 and 2011 and turned down photographs of a Sanguko, an armored personnel carrier, that was alleged to have been used in the massacre.
Reyes explained that the exhibits she admitted were mostly documents that were sworn and attested to by witnesses who were present in court or were acceptable to both parties.
She said Ampatuan Sr.’s bail petition would be resolved only after the defense panel completes its presentation of evidence.
For the rest of the accused, Reyes said, their petitions would be deemed submitted for resolution once the court rules on the prosecution’s formal offer of evidence in the killing of the 58th victim, Midland Review photojournalist Reynaldo Momay.
