MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Wednesday said she has taken supervision of the prosecution panel handling the Maguindanao massacre case.
“I am now the one supervising the case personally overall since last week,” De Lima told reporters in an interview Wednesday.
But she said that Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan who was once the one supervising the panel will still assist her in the case along with Prosecutor General Claro Arellano.
Justice Secretary Leila De lima. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net
“Magpapatulong na lang ako kay PG (Arellano) and then other Undersecretaries so we will consider this as institutional matter na hindi lang confine sa isang supervising official kaya ako lang muna ang overall,” explained de Lima.
Baraan was accused by private prosecutor Nena Santos and legal counsel of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu of allegedly receiving P20 million from the camp of the Ampatuan clan, several members of which are principal accused in the case including the clan’s patriarch former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.
Baraan has denied the allegation calling it a complete fabrication and challenged Santos to present evidence to prove her allegation.
“I told her (De Lima) I cannot work or coordinate with Nena Santos. She understood. So, she said ako na lang mag-supervise overall. But the panel continues to consult me because I have not been replaced. The Secretary said so,” Baraan said in a text message to reporters.
It was not the first time that a head of the prosecution has been replaced. When the trial of the case started in 2010, the panel was headed by Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon.
Fadullon’s team was replaced by De Lima due to differences also with Santos.
Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Peter Medalle took his place followed by Taguig City Prosecutor Archimedes Manabat. Medalle requested that he be replaced as he wanted to concentrate on his other cases in Zamboanga. He is handling anti-terrorism cases.
Meanwhile, De Lima said they are considering filing an appeal following the Quezon City court’s decision to grant another 25 policemen-accused in the massacre case temporary liberty, saying the evidence presented by the prosecution against them were weak.
The court set the bail at P200, 000 each or a total of P11.6 million for the 58 counts of murder charges against them.
“Pag-uusapan namin kung ano ang options, kung ano ang next step,” De Lima said adding they are not worried despite this development since they can still present additional evidence against the police officers.
“I would like to state na di naman tayo nababahala dyan sa pag-grant ng bail to certain policemen kasi ang pag-grant ng bail does not preclude the state through the prosecution to present more evidence to prove their guilt in the course of the presentation of the evidence in chief. Bail pa lang naman yan and this pertains to the policemen na nasa checkpoint. Siguro wala pa masyadong nai-present na evidence with respect to these policemen,” she added.
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