COTABATO CITY, Philippines – (UPDATE) The family of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. wants his trial for the Maguindanao massacre to be held in this city and claims it would be too much of a financial burden on them if the trial were held in Manila.

Lawyer Phillip Pantojan, one of the lead counsels of Andal Jr., the prime suspect in the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people, said a transfer of venue would be too costly for the accused and his witnesses.

“We want no transfer of trial. We want it in Cotabato City. It would be a financial burden for the Ampatuans if we will make the trial in Manila,” he told the Inquirer by phone.

“But the prosecutors can always ask the Supreme Court to hold the trial in Manila, but we will oppose that because it’s going to be a burden for Mayor Unsay and his witnesses. He will be spending a lot of money,” Pantoja added.

State Prosecutors Leo Diocera, Al Calica and Edilberto Jamora filed 25 counts of murder against Andal Jr. and more than a dozen “John Does” at the Regional Trial Court-Branch 15 in Cotabato City in connection with the Maguindanao massacre.

The case was filed at about 9:45 a.m. before RTC Branch 15 Judge Melanio Guerrero of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

RTC-15 Judge Cadar Indar was on leave, according to Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane, vice chief of Task Force 12 Alpha, and among those who escorted the prosecutors to the Hall of Justice inside the heavily guarded ARMM compound here.

Jamora explained that only 25 counts of multiple murder were filed so far “because that is the number of information filed during the inquest in General Santos City.”

“Madadagdagan yan (More cases will be filed),” Jamora told reporters.

"We filed only 25 because at the time of the inquest proceedings in General Santos City, those were the only available medical records of the victims," Jamora explained.

The prosecutors presented two boxes of documentary evidence in filing the charges.

Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, meanwhile, asked the Supreme Court to transfer the venue of the multiple murder case against Andal Jr.

In a one page-letter, citing security reasons, Devanadera asked Chief Justice Reynato Puno to "transfer the case to any court in Manila or Quezon City."

Devanadera said witnesses are afraid to go to court if the trial will be in Cotabato. She added that judges in Cotabato are also on leave.

While the multiple murder charges are being filed against Andal Jr. at the Hall of Justice here, the military prevented the Ampatuans from leaving their homes in Shariff Aguak town.

Motorists coming to this city were prevented by the military from traveling along a highway a few kilometers away from Ampatuan mansions.

National and local media persons were barred from proceeding to Shariff Aguak to check on reports that the Ampatuans would be arrested.

The Ampatuans -- ARMM Regional Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, his father Datu Andal Sr. and other relatives and supporters -- have been kept inside their homes in Shariff Aguak.

“We are inside the house and we are prevented from leaving,” a staff of the Ampatuans who requested that he remains unidentified for not having been authorized to speak to media, told reporters.

“The soldiers have locked the mansions’ main entrance and exit gates,” he said.

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ponce, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, denied that they were prohibiting commuters, media and health workers from using a highway.

“Naghigpit lang kami (We just tightened our checks.) We are checking for unauthorized carrying of guns,” Ponce explained. With a report from Tetch Torres, INQUIRER.net