Gov’t prosecutors in Maguindanao massacre deny bribe allegations
MANILA, Philippines—Government prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre case on Tuesday denied accusations made by their own witness Lakmodin Saliao that a P50-million payoff was made to compromise the case.
“Supervising Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III and the Department of Justice Panel of Prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre cases, condemn in the strongest terms, the allegations of Lakmodin Saliao… involving the alleged payoff of P50 million to compromise the trial,” the 11-man panel of prosecutors led by Taguig City Prosecutor Archimedes Manabat said in a statement.
Saliao, in a radio interview last Aug. 4 alleged that when he was with the Ampatuans, he was tasked to deliver money to an Ampatuan lawyer for bribing the public prosecutors and Baraan.
He said in the same interview that P20 million went directly to Baraan.
Saliao is a house help for former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. for 18 years. He has decided to become government witness after a granddaughter of Ampatuan informed him of a plan to kill him because he knows so much. He was admitted to the government’s Witness Protection Program on July 15, 2010.
But the panel said Saliao’s allegation is full of holes and bereft of truth adding that when he was still with the Ampatuan and before he turned against them in May 2010 to become a prosecution witness, “Baraan was not yet in government and the present Panel was not yet constituted.”
The present panel of prosecutors was constituted on March 9, 2011. They are the third set of prosecutors to handle the case.
At the time that Saliao was with the Ampatuans, the panel of prosecutors was headed by Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon.
Fadullon’ team was replaced by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima due to differences with private prosecutors, including Nena Santos, the legal counsel of Maguindanao governor Esmael “Toto”Mangudadatu.
Taking Fadullon’s place then was Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Peter Medalle who was also replaced by Manabat as Medalle was asked to concentrate on the various anti-terrorism cases he is handling in Zamboanga City.
“Based on this timeline alone, it is clear that Saliao’s allegations are false. His own story betrays his claims. The Panel of Prosecutors is confident in the quality and strength of its evidence in order to bring justice to the victims and the Filipino people,” the statement said adding that the prosecutors remained committed to “expeditiously and successfully prosecuting the case.
Baraan, on the other hand, said Saliao’s allegations was a “complete fabrication.”
“His own statements disprove these allegations. His claim is a contradiction in itself as he speaks of a time when I was not yet with the DOJ, much less the supervising undersecretary of the Ampatuan, Maguindanao cases,” Baraan said in a separate statement.
But he said these kinds of allegations would not dampen his commitment in pursuing his duty, adding that “in spite of these challenges, I remain steadfast and committed to bringing justice in these cases.”
Last week, private prosecutors Nena Santos and Prima Jesusa Quinsayas accused the government lawyers of conspiring with the Ampatuans when it decided to rest its case on 28 of the over a hundred accused.
Santos also revealed that there was an attempt to bribe her of P300 million to which she declined and hinted that it may have ended in the hands of the government prosecutors.
Baraan also denied the claim while Justice Secretary Leila De Lima dared Santos to reveal the name of the prosecutor or prosecutors who received the bribe money.
Still, despite the controversy, De Lima said Tuesday that “I have full trust and confidence in this panel. They are doing their job. Wala akong nakikitang rason sa present panel para pagdudahan ang pag-handle nila ng kaso.”
In 2010, Saliao also revealed that he gave bribe money to a former press secretary and peace process chief in exchange for the dismissal of the rebellion case against the Ampatuans. More bribe money was also given to a provincial prosecutor who was given P5,000 per signature though he said he does not know what the transaction was.
Saliao also revealed in 2010 that former Maguindanao chief of police Sukarno Dicay and Erin Ebus received P10 million each for recanting their testimonies against the Ampatuans.
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