A government witness on Thursday positively identified in court four militiamen who allegedly participated in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, the worst incident of electoral violence in the country’s history which left 57 persons dead.
Farmer Haical Mangacop, 30, identified accused Moktar Daud, Nasruddin Ismael and brothers Tayab and Salic Bangkulat as among the civilian voluntary organization (CVO) members who waylaid the Mangudadatu convoy on Nov. 23, 2009, in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.
Mangacop corroborated the testimony of his friend, Esmael Enog Amil, who said that the two drove at least 20 militiamen from Sharif Aguak to Ampatuan town on the morning of the massacre.
“(Daud) was one of those who boarded (our vehicle). I also know him because I’ve stayed in Sharif Aguak for a long time and he is a known CVO of (Datu Unsay Mayor Andal) ‘Unsay’ (Ampatuan Jr.),” the witness said at the resumption of the trial in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig.
Mangacop got down from the witness stand and pointed to the accused who were seated in the gallery clad in yellow prison shirts with other defendants
Both defense and prosecution lawyers stayed on the side of the courtroom to avoid accusations that the witness was being coached or harassed while a Maguindanaoan interpreter followed Mangacop to interpret whatever he said.
“I also know Ismael because he is our neighbor and I grew up with him. He was at the check point in Masalay,” Mangacop told presiding Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes.
The prosecution had alleged that the defendants set up four checkpoints, including one in Sitio Masalay, Ampatuan town, to stop the Mangudadatu convoy.
The convoy was eventually stopped at the third checkpoint in Sitio Malating. Subsequently, the victims were brought up a hill and brutally murdered.
Mangacop said also pointed to the Bangkulat siblings, adding that he knew them because the two grew up in the witness’ house. He said the two brothers were detailed at the checkpoint in Masalay.
After Mangacop gave his testimony, defense lawyers led by Sigfrid Fortun deferred cross examination, saying that prosecutors should have informed them that he was going to be presented on the day.
“If you gave us Mangacop’s name (on Wednesday), we would have been ready,” Fortun said, noting that the prosecution had more than 270 witnesses.
Lead Prosecutor Peter Medalle countered that they could not give the defense the names of their civilian witnesses ahead of time because when this happened before, the witnesses’ property were burned or their relatives were killed.
“We are not attributing that to the accused but that happened before. The witnesses’ brothers were killed and their properties were torched,” Medalle said.
Fortun challenged the prosecution to produce evidence in court showing that government witnesses were harassed. Medalle said they would.
Medalle also told the court that he saw Andal Jr. make a threatening gesture with his hand at government witness Amil Abdul Satar Maliwawaw on Wednesday.
The witness, a farmer, had positively identified Unsay and two other militiamen as among those who allegedly participated in the massacre.