Separate verdicts seen in Maguindanao massacre trial

As the nation marks the eighth year since the Maguindanao massacre on Thursday, the Supreme Court said decisions may be handed down separately for each of the more than 100 accused of murdering 58 people who were killed in the carnage.

Of nearly 200 accused, only 115 had been arrested, including the alleged mastermind, former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., who died two years ago of a heart attack.

The Public Information Office (PIO) of the Supreme Court said the prosecution had completed presenting its evidence against all the principal suspects, except Andal Ampatuan Jr., whose bail petition was denied by the trial court.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 trying the case said there was strong evidence against him.

It was now the turn of the accused to present their “evidence in chief” and only 103 of the original respondents remain on trial, the PIO said.

“As soon as the accused have rested their presentation of evidence, their respective cases may already be submitted for the decision of the court,” it added.

The RTC could hand down verdicts on each of the accused without waiting for other respondents to complete the presentation of their own evidence, it said.

The court presided by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes has heard 166 prosecution and 107 defense witnesses.

On Nov. 23, 2009, armed followers of the Ampatuan clan allegedly gunned down 58 people, including 32 media workers, on a hilltop in Ampatuan town in the worst election violence in the country and the bloodiest attack against the press in the world. —With a report from Jhesset O. Enano