SHARIFF AGUAK, MAGUINDANAO—Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Sunday defended his detained brother from multiple murder charges in the massacre of 57 people and denounced his “trial by publicity.”

Ampatuan told Philippine Daily Inquirer and GMA 7 reporters in an interview at his palatial home that his brother, Andal Jr., the mayor of Datu Unsay, was innocent.

“We leave it to due process, the law to decide,” he said of the fate of his brother.

Ampatuan Jr. has been accused of leading some 100 armed men in taking hostage and slaughtering a convoy of the Mangudadatu clan accompanied by supporters and media people while on its way to an elections office to declare its gubernatorial candidate.

Before the interview, some 3,000 men, women and children staged a rally in support of the family. Chanting, “Allahu Akbar,” they carried placards that said: “Stop suspecting Ampatuans” and “Ampatuans are not murderers.”

The ARMM governor issued a statement vowing justice for the victims of the massacre, but also insisting on the innocence of his family.

“The Ampatuan family is under siege,” his statement read.

“This is an illegal persecution and our persecutors, in their dire efforts to promote their sagging image, are trying to ride... this incident,” he said without identifying his persecutors.

The Department of Justice has said it has at least 20 witnesses—including two police officers—who could attest that Andal Jr. was behind the massacre.

“I am hurt by the allegations that my brother is involved. It’s more painful when I watch him on TV and how the authorities sent my brother to jail. I never expected that,” said the ARMM governor, who was flanked by about 30 mayors from Maguindanao and Basilan.

When the massacre took place, he was in Manila and was meeting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He presented his plane ticket as proof.

Innocent until proven guilty

“I was with PGMA (Ms Arroyo) the whole day to discuss the political scenario in Sulu. I learned of the sad news at 12:30 p.m. I was shocked and appalled,” he said.

Ampatuan said much had been said about the Maguindanao massacre but only a few defended the family.

“I am reminded of the rule of law, which course, everybody must take. The law presumes everyone as innocent even when charged unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. This is enshrined in the bill of rights,” he said.

Zaldy, who was later joined by his father Andal Ampatuan Sr., the three-term governor of Maguindanao, said the family would do everything to prove that Andal Jr. had nothing to do with the carnage.

The elder Ampatuan has been grooming his detained son to take over from him as governor of Maguindanao.

He said the family had tapped at least 40 lawyers, led by Siegfried Fortun, to help in the case.

Appearing teary-eyed, Ampatuan Sr. said he could not understand why the entire clan was being dragged in the case.

“Why are they dragging our names? I felt that they wanted to show to the public that we are violent. That the entire clan is behind the incident,” he said.

Family to fight suspension

Ampatuan also said that he could not understand the plan to suspend him and other officials over the massacre of which he said they had no prior knowledge of. He said they would contest the suspension order.

He appealed to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and President Arroyo for “due process,” adding that a continuing dialogue between the regional government and national officials would be more appropriate than outright preventive suspension.

He said that contrary to public perception, which their constituents can attest to, the Ampatuans were peace-loving.

Ampatuan said his children and that of other family members were so affected by the massacre that they have stopped going to school, fearing retaliation.

The ARMM governor admitted the incident had also personally affected him.

“I belong to the Ampatuan family and I, too, am seeking justice … because of my duty to uphold the laws and the Constitution to the best of my ability as governor of ARMM.”

Media very unfair

Zaldy Ampatuan appealed to the media and the family of the slain journalists “to listen to what we have to say.”

He said the media had been very unfair. “We are being put under trial by publicity,” he said.

An aide of Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadicul Sahali told the Inquirer by phone that a convoy of around 60 cars, including the governor’s, was blocked by soldiers and policemen on their way here.

As this developed, Commission on Human Rights Chair Leila de Lima ordered the military to cordon-off the site of the massacre in Ampatuan town.

De Lima also said two foreign forensic experts, who were with her during a visit to the site on Sunday would return in a few days to start their investigation. With reports from Nico Alconaba, Rosa May de Guzman and Nash Maulana, Inquirer Mindanao