Another Ampatuan arrested

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–An Ampatuan clan member, who went into hiding after the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, was arrested Tuesday night in Las Piñas City by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., CIDG director, said Sajid Anwar Upam Ampatuan alias Datu Ulo was arrested at No. 12, Monina Yllana corner Margaret Montinola streets, Prumdi Village, in BF Resort, Las Piñas.

The government had set a P250,000 bounty for his arrest.

The suspect is a grandson of clan patriarch and former Maguindanao governon Andal Ampatuan Sr., an accused in the massacre, and was positively identified by witnesses as among those who fired at the victims, Pagdilao said.

The massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009 left 57 persons dead, including 32 journalists. The body of a reported 58th victim, photojournalist Reynaldo Momay, was never found but his personal effects were.

Pagdilao said Datu Ulo’s apprehension brought to 102 the total number of arrested persons linked to the massacre. Ninety-four suspects are still at large.

Pagdilao said members of the CIDG Detective and Special Operations Division and the Anti Fraud and Commercial Crime Division confiscated from Datu Ulo a .45 cal. pistol with two magazines when they arrested him at around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, who is presiding over the massacre trial, earlier issued an arrest warrant against Datu Ulo.

Pagdilao said CIDG tracker teams were now focusing on hunting down other Ampatuan clan members linked to the massacre instead of trying to find their supporters involved in the killings.