Fugitive in Maguindanao massacre case captured by CIDG

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—One of the men allegedly involved in the massacre of 58 persons in Maguindanao in 2009 was captured by police in the town of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental province on Friday (Aug. 21).

Although Nasser Adam is included in the list of suspects, he continued to be at large when a decision on the case was handed down last December. In the decision, he was not among those named by the court as guilty or not guilty.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the region announced the capture of Nasser Adam, 45, who has been working as a security guard of one of the companies operating in Tagoloan.

Adam also goes by the name Umar Kasim and has transferred residence to the village of Mohon in Tagoloan.

The CIDG regional office said Adam is covered by an arrest warrant issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 in Quezon City. The warrant was dated July 21, 2010 yet.

Judge Solis-Reyes has found dozens of accused in the massacre case guilty and sentenced them to prison terms, including several members of the Ampatuan clan. But many of those convicted were at large and police are on the manhunt for them.

No bail has been recommended for Adam.

Adam has a P300,000 prize on his head, according to a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memo.

Lt. Col. Napoleon Carpio, CIDG regional deputy chief, said Adam had turned fugitive after authorities started arresting those involved in the massacre in 2009.

“In fact, he was employed as security guard using a fictitious name,” Carpio said.

TSB