ESPERANZA, Sultan Kudarat?The family of Lakmudin Saliao, a key witness in the Maguindanao massacre trial, has fled their village in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The family?s neighbors in Kakar village said the family members decided to leave town after Saliao turned up as a witness in the trial of the main accused in the massacre that left 57 people dead, 32 of them journalists.

Saliao worked as a houseboy for the Ampatuan family, many of whose members are on trial for the November 2009 massacre. At the opening of the trial the other day, Saliao directly linked Andal Ampatuan Jr. to the killings, allegedly on orders of the latter?s father, Andal Ampatuan Sr., the former Maguindanao governor.

According to some residents, Saliao?s mother, Singkia, has since resettled in Buluan, the hometown of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, whose family members were among those who were killed in the massacre.

Namesake fearful

Sharia Judge Mohammad Saga Saliao, who is not related to the witness, said Saliao?s testimony had made his family fearful for their safety.

What was even more worrisome for the sharia judge is that one of his children has the same name as the massacre witness.

According to neighbors, Saliao had adopted the surname because he had heard the Ampatuans calling his late father, Sali Ebrahim, by that name.

Saliao?s father was a former member of the Ampatuan police force and was known to be close to a fellow policeman at the time, Andal Ampatuan Sr.

Dureza denial

Meanwhile, Jesus Dureza, the peace adviser to the previous Arroyo administration, denied Saliao?s testimony that he (Dureza) had arranged the surrender of the main suspect, Andal Jr., to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In an e-mail statement, Dureza, who was appointed crisis manager of the Maguindanao massacre aftermath by Arroyo, said he would make a formal denial when he is summoned to
testify.

?As the official handling the crisis situation during that incident, I categorically deny that I made arrangements for Datu Unsay [Andal Jr.?s nickname] to be turned over to the custody of then President Arroyo,? he said.

Dureza said he had handled several crisis situations in the past and ?custody by the President was never an option.?

He recalled having discussed Andal Jr.?s surrender with his father at the latter?s Maguindanao house in the presence of Maguindanao Rep. Didagalen Dilangalen, Andal Jr.?s lawyer Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi and Energy Undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan, among others. Nash B. Maulana, with reports from Charlie C. Señase and Aquilez Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao