DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The statement of Maguindanao massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. that Moro rebels perpetrated the crime might be considered in the investigation, the spokesperson of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command based here said Friday.

But Maj. Randolph Cabangbang said, that "as of now, the (pieces of) evidence (gathered) is against him.”

"There are the calls and text messages from the victims, the survivors, the other witness who claimed to be part of the group that carried out the crime, the backhoe of the province," Cabangbang said.

Another military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, personally, he believed that Moro leader Ameril Ombra Kato was capable of staging the massacre.

"We have seen how Kato killed his victims in the past," the military official said.

But he quickly added that based on evidence, Andal Jr. ordered or even participated in the carnage.