Arraignment of Ampatuan Sr. set June 1

Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221A has set the arraignment of Andal Ampatuan Sr. on June 1.

In an order issued late yesterday afternoon, the judge said Ampatuan Sr. and another coaccused, Nicomedes Tolentino aka Mohamad Datumanong, will be indicted for the murder of 57 people, including at least 30 media workers, in Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009.

The arraignment will be held at the courtroom in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, where the 80 or so arrested for the multiple murders are detained.

Judge Reyes pointed out that although Ampatuan Sr. had opposed the prosecution’s motion to arraign all 196 accused, he eventually asked the court to arraign him.

“The court is of the view that his opposition to the motion to arraign has been rendered moot and academic,” she said in her order.

Tolentino had also asked the court to set his arraignment for the charges.

However, the arraignment of five other members of the Ampatuan clan and 16 other accused were ordered “held in abeyance.”

Reyes said the court had yet to rule on the opposition of the 21 accused to the prosecution’s appeal to have all the accused arraigned.

Andal Ampatuan Jr. leads the 196 accused in the landmark multiple murder case. Julie M. Aurelio