Another massacre suspect nabbed in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Another suspect in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre was arrested by police and Philippine Marine operatives at a checkpoint in this city Sunday afternoon.

Col. Alex Balutan, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade, said the suspect, Zacaria Akil, a Maguindanaon and one of the henchmen of former Maguindanao Gov.  Andal Ampatuan Sr., was arrested at a checkpoint of Task Force Kutabato.

Balutan said the suspect did not resist arrest.

He said Akil’s arrest came after a week-long surveillance by police and Philippine Marines operatives in the region.

He said Marine intelligence operatives had received a tip from an informant about the entry of Akil here.

After a tactical interrogation, Lt. Col. Noel Buncab, chief of Marine Battalion Team (MBLT-7) turned over Akil to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

A week ago, police from the regional office of PNP in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao arrested Sonny Pendi, 29, an alleged aide of massacre prime suspect former Andal Ampatuan Jr., in front of a local hotel following a month-long surveillance operations.

Akil will be flown to Manila Tuesday to be committed to the Quezon City Regional Trial court which issued the warrant for his arrest.