De Lima: source of Mamasapano viral video identified by NBI

Screengrab from alleged SAF shooting video.

MANILA, Philippines–The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has already identified the source of the six-minute viral video that showed a wounded member of the Special Action Force (SAF) being shot at close range.

“NBI has already identified where it came from and who uploaded the video,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters Monday.

The showed a man, who was later identified by relatives as police officer Joseph Sagonoy, one of the 44 SAF men killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in camouflage uniform sprawled on a cornfield being shot twice at close range.

The SAF commandos were on a mission to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir aka Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdulbasit Usman.

The video also showed the group, most of whom were armed, taking magazines and other ammunition from several other fallen men, again, in camouflage uniform. Gunfire is repeatedly heard in the background while at least two of the perpetrators shouted, “Allah hu akbar!”

However, de Lima refused to identify the source adding that the NBI is still working to further authenticate the video.

“…Because this will be used as evidence. This will not be admissible unless authenticated,” de Lima explained.

“We should find out whether the one who uploaded the video was also the one who took it or was it a secondary source? So we could trace who really took it. Whoever took that video should be the one to authenticate,” she added.

De Lima said if the one who took is also involved in the killing, in the whole incident, “the question is will he cooperate in affirming the video?”

The NBI through its Cybercrime Division is working on the video. Aside from the identity of the source, it has already pinpointed where the video was uploaded.
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