Court orders transfer of two suspects in Maguindanao massacre case to Camp Bagong Diwa
MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has ordered the custody transfer of two suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre case from the municipal police station in Parang, Maguindanao to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
In an order dated Jan. 17, Quezon City RTC Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes ordered the transfer of Kagi Faizal alias Faizal Baga Dimaukum and Gambayan Kasim alias Lori Alip. The two are currently detained at the Parang municipal police station jail after their arrests.
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The Court also ordered the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to present the two before the court on January 21 for their arraignment. During the arraignment, the two will be asked to enter their plea of guilty or not guilty to the death of 58 people including 32 journalists.
“Let these cases revived and be returned to the active docket of this court, and a commitment order is issued insofar as accused Kagi Faizal and Gambayan Kasim are concerned,” the court said.
The two were arrested last January 6 and 9 respectively in Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao. They were among the at least 80 suspects charged in court that were not able to face trial because the were at large or have been in hiding.
Last Dec. 19, the Quezon City Court already found former Ampatuan town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and several others guilty of 57 counts of murder.
The massacre was the single, deadliest attack on journalists in history and the worst election-related violence in the country.
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