Andal Ampatuan Sr.’s bid to be dropped from massacre case junked

MANILA, Philippines—A Quezon City court has dismissed for lack of merit the bid of former Shariff Aguak mayor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to have his name stricken off the list of accused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 denied the accused’s motion seeking the removal of his name from the charge list, and granted the appeal of state prosecutors to have him arraigned.

Reyes also set Andal’s arraignment on June 26 at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, in Taguig City. Also set to be arraigned that day are Sajid Islam Ampatuan and Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan Sr.

In a five-page omnibus order, the court said it already found probable cause against the 196 accused, including Anwar, in its March 24, 2010, order on the 56 victims.

The court also found probable cause in two additional criminal information in its July 21, 2010, and May 22, 2013, orders, respectively.

“There being no additional document submitted by accused to refute the finding of probable cause not only by the panel of investigating prosecutors as well as this court, it is of the view that no cogent reason exists to reverse such finding,” Reyes said in her order.

Andal had asked for the dismissal of the 58 counts of murder against him as there was no basis to indict him since there was no evidence to show his part in the conspiracy in the Nov. 23, 2009, Maguindanao massacre.

The accused argued that it was physically impossible for him to be at Barangay Matagabon where the members of the Mangudadatu convoy were allegedly flagged down on the morning of the carnage.