Another Maguindanao massacre suspect yields

COTABATO CITY –– After more than 10 years of hiding from the law, a police officer linked to the infamous 2009 Maguindanao massacre surrendered to authorities in Maguindanao Tuesday night.

Colonel James Gulmatico, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, identified the police officer as Corporal Ysmael Baraguir.

Gulmatico said Baraguir has a warrant of arrest issued by Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes for 56 counts of murder.

Gulmatico told reporters that Baraguir earlier sent surrender feelers to authorities about his decision to yield peacefully.

On Tuesday, the regional CIDG chief and his men proceeded to Barangay Linandangan of Pagalungan, Maguindanao where Baraguir and his relatives were waiting around 7 p.m.

Baraguir, who refused to speak to the media, is now detained at the CIDG custodial facility at PC Hill, Cotabato City.

He will be sent to Manila when the CIDG receives the order from Judge Solid-Reyes after the warrant and the corresponding report is sent to her sala.

Earlier, two massacre suspects were separately arrested in Maguindanao, after the court convicted last month the massacre perpetrators and acquitted others./lzb