Maguindanao massacre trial resumes Thursday with 6 suspects to be arraigned

MANILA, Philippines—The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 will resume hearing the Maguindanao massacre case on Thursday where six, including five police officers, will be arraigned.

Set for arraignment are SPO1 Oscar Donato, P01 Esmael Guialal and Abdullah Baguadatu, P03 Abibudin Abdulgani, P02 Hamad Nana and a certain Fahad Utto also known as Richard Gofel.

The police officers were listed as among the witnesses of the prosecutors. They were implicated in the case after they were identified as among those who manned the checkpoint where the convoy of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu’s wife Genalyn were held up.

A total of 65 out of the 96 arrested accused have already been arraigned, based on records of the court while 100 accused remains at large.

Mangudadatu hopes that the trial will be fast tracked following the proposal by the defense panel that two to four witnesses be presented during every hearings.

“That proposal is most welcome at least the disposition of the case will be fast tracked,” Mangudadatu told reporters during his visit today (Wednesday) at the Department of Justice (DoJ).

A total of 57 people died including 31 journalists with one missing were killed in Maguindanao in 2009. It was touted as the worst election-related violence and the most brutal killing of journalists not only in the country but the whole world.