Not guilty, say 3 suspects in Maguindanao massacre

Site of the Maguindanao massacre. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—One of the principal accused in the Maguindanao massacre case and two others pleaded not guilty to 58 counts of murder on Wednesday.

During Wednesday’s hearing at the QC Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, former Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan and Datu Tutukan Malong Salibo pleaded not guilty.

Edris Tekay Nanding refused to enter a plea, insisting that he was in Saudi Arabia when 58 people were summarily executed in Maguindanao in 2009. The Quezon City Regional Trial Court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Anwar Ampatuan is the fourth principal accused to be arraigned by the court. Others are former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., Andal Ampatuan Jr. and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Zaldy Ampatuan.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes rescheduled on July 3 the arraignment of Datu Akmad Tato Ampatuan and Sajid Ampatuan. Their lawyer insisted that the arraignment should be deferred because of a pending motion before the Supreme Court.