Zaldy Ampatuan arraignment set on Dec. 12

Former ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan. AFP FILE PHOTO

A Quezon City court has set the arraignment of former Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy “Puti” Ampatuan on Dec. 12 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City following a Supreme Court ruling affirming his indictment in the Maguindanao massacre multiple murder case.

However, Ampatuan reportedly declined to receive the order setting the arraignment.

In a sheriff’s return, Sheriff Nestor Rivera of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 said he tried to serve the order issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes to Ampatuan on Dec. 4 at the accused’s detention cell at the Quezon City Jail Annex, Camp Bagong Diwa.

In a four-page order, Reyes said the court could no longer defer the arraignment in view of the finality of the Supreme Court’s denial of Ampatuan’s motion for reconsideration.

The court set the arraignment of the accused at 8:30 a.m.

In his report, Rivera said he told the former governor that he is serving him a copy of the court order and that he already delivered a copy of the same order to the Fortun, Narvasa and Salazar Law Office, the law firm representing the Ampatuans.

The accused allegedly did not sign an acknowledgement receipt and told the sheriff that he would have to talk to his lawyer, Philip Sigrid Fortun, before receiving the order.