MANILA, Philippines — A government team tasked to investigate the slaughter of 57 people in Maguindanao is quietly obtaining depositions from witnesses that appear to point to Andal Ampatuan Jr. as prime suspect, officials said.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno also disclosed in a briefing at Camp Crame that aside from Ampatuan, four police officials had been placed under “restrictive custody” in connection with Monday’s massacre.

They were Senior Supt. Agusana Maguid, acting police director of the Maguindanao police office; Chief Insp. Sukarno Dicay, acting deputy provincial police director; Senior Police Officer 2 Badawi Bakal, officer in charge of the Datu Ampatuan police station; and Senior Insp. Ariel Diongon, officer in charge of the provincial mobile group.

Puno said the four policemen, who were airlifted to Manila via a commercial flight, had been identified by witnesses as among those who were present at the scene of the massacre.

Two other police officials—Insp. Armando Mariga and Insp. Saudi Mokamad, also of the provincial mobile group—are also suspected of having participated in the killings. Both have been issued administrative relief.

No appeasement

Although there have been discussions between Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza and the Ampatuan family, there has never been any negotiation or appeasement of the known political ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Puno said.

“We can assure everyone that the province of Maguindanao is under the control of the rule of law and that the lawful authorities are in charge, that the investigation of the incident is being conducted in earnest, and those responsible will be held to account regardless of who they are,” Dureza said.

He also announced that witnesses, who were processed by the justice department over the past two days, were flown to Manila Thursday with Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.

“All the statements from the witnesses under the care of the Mangudadatu family have been undertaken by the Department of Justice. So quietly, the deposition has been taken from all the witnesses in the past day and a half,” Puno said.

He said the crisis management committee formed to handle the situation in Maguindanao had to act very discreetly to ensure an effective prosecution of those involved in the killings and that Monday’s massacre would not result in more unpleasant incidents in the area.

Crime scene preserved

“We had to make sure that the scene of the crime was preserved … to prevent the flight of [suspects] and that witnesses would not be coerced into not talking,” Puno explained.

“We have been silent on who are these witnesses and suspects for effective prosecution. We want charges to stick,” he added.

Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa announced that government troops and a fresh force of policemen took control of the Maguindanao capitol and the town halls of Shariff Aguak and Ampatuan starting 4 a.m. Thursday as part of operations under a state of emergency.

“The objective of this continuing operation is to take over security of this government facility to ensure unhampered government functions and protect government assets in these vital installations,” Verzosa said during the press briefing.

Such actions were also in view of an “expanded investigation” that would look into the circumstances of “this barbaric crime,” he added.

Verzosa said investigators continued to examine evidence, such as empty shells of varying caliber, clothing, fingerprints and the backhoe that bore the markings of the provincial government of Maguindanao.

Backhoe used to dig graves?

Puno said that investigators were trying to determine what the backhoe was doing in the area where the bodies were discovered.

He said, among the questions that needed answer where: Did it dig before the people got there? Who was the operator of the construction equipment?

“That piece of equipment is now being held as evidence but the problem is that it’s not going to stand up in court, it’s not enough to have any case filed against individuals suspected of being behind this entire thing, so we have to look deeper,” Puno said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP have also secured the entire stretch of the national highway leading to the three government buildings in Maguindanao, Verzosa said.

Special units disbanded

Acting AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang also reported Thursday that the military had deactivated and disarmed its four special companies composed of 347 armed civilians, who were also being investigated for possible involvement in the crime.

The military has augmented its force in Maguindanao with about a thousand men from the 46th Infantry Battalion, which has just completed its redeployment to Samar on the day of the massacre, another infantry battalion, a Scout Ranger company, a special forces company and two mechanized infantry battalions.

The National Police Commission announced it had issued a resolution severing the control and supervision of all local officials over the police forces in Maguindanao.