Ampatuan’s exposes may lead to his exoneration in massacre trial, warns private lawyer

MANILA, Philippines – Former governor Zaldy Ampatuan’s “exposes” against the past administration may come at a price – an acquittal for the 57 counts of murder against him or a conviction for a lesser crime.

Private prosecutor Harry Roque argued that Zaldy’s moves to implicate his own family in the Maguindanao massacre, shouldn’t have been considered in the first place.

“It should only be the Department of Justice that should exercise its jurisdiction because it is tasked both with the prosecution of the criminal case and in opposing (Zaldy’s) Court of Appeals petition,” the lawyer said.

Roque represents some of the families of the 32 mediamen killed in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, which is being blamed on the Ampatuan clan.

Zaldy is one of the 196 accused which includes his brother, Andal Jr. and Andal Sr., his father.

Early this week, the ex-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor signified his intention to turn witness against his own family in a bid to clear his name.

But Roque pointed out that some Cabinet officials should not have entertained the accused’s plea to be made witness.

“At issue here is whether one of the masterminds in this massacre should be allowed to go scot free in exchange for information that would pin down (former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) but have nothing to do with the massacre itself,” he said.

Ampatuan had also exposed what he knew about graft and poll fraud being linked to Mrs. Arroyo.

Roque feared that these “by-the-day” revelations would result in the former governor’s acquittal, or being allowed to plead guilty to a lesser offense.