COTABATO CITY?Maguindanao?s provincial administrator, two mayors and other local executives, who were accused of complicity in the massacre of 57 people on November 23, have asked the regional trial court here to reduce their recommended bail of P250,000 each.

In a petition filed by their lawyers on Monday, they said the bail bond sought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) was exorbitant and that the amount must be lowered to P100,000.

Among those included in the charge sheet were Maguindanao administrator Norie Onas and Mayors Talib Abo of Parang town and Ombra Sinsuat of Datu Odin Sinsuat town.

Reiterating their innocence in the massacre, the petitioners said they were willing to face trial but hoped that the court would reduce the bail amount.

?I cannot believe that I will be declared a rebel because in my entire life, I have never fought the government through force and armed uprising,? Abo said.

Abo said he had yet to receive a subpoena or a warrant for his arrest.

Sinsuat said he was surprised to learn that he was among those charged, but added that he would not flee and would appear in court.

Judge Kadir Indar may decide on the petition for reduced bail on Jan. 7, according to Omaima Silongan, clerk of court.

The hearing was earlier scheduled this week but was reset because of the observance of Shariff Kabunsuan Day, a nonworking holiday here and in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

?At the moment, we are not yet certain whether the additional 15 counts of multiple murder cases filed by the justice department on Dec. 9 before RTC Branch 15 would also be transferred to Quezon City for consolidation,? Silongan said. Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao