Posts Tagged ‘ampatuan massacre update’

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Andal Ampatuan Jr. Plead Not Guilty

by admin, on Mon, Jan 4 2010 | No Comments

Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. plead not guilty for all the 41 murder charges filed against him by the police in connection with the Maguindanao massacre last November 23.

“[He pleaded] Not guilty to all the 41 charges,” Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Leila de Lima told reporters outside the building of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Police Non-Commissioned Officers’ Clubhouse inside Camp Crame, where the trial is being held. Commissioner de Lima said Ampatuan Jr., who looked bored and was yawning all the time during the hearing, entered a not guilty plea to all 41 charges.

After the arraignment last Tuesday, Ampatuan Jr.’s petition for bail started, and the prosecution presented Ric Diaz, head of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) anti-terrorism unit. Diaz presented photos, videos and other evidence in connection with the massacre. Upon cross examination, Ampatuan Jr.’s lawyer, Sigfrid Fortun, said the evidence was not relevant to the petition.
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Five More Ampatuans and 633 to face Rebellions Raps

by admin, on Wed, Dec 23 2009 | No Comments

Pres. Arroyo posed with the Ampatuan Clan

Five more members of the powerful Ampatuan family and 633 others were summoned by the Department of Justice yesterday to face the preliminary hearing on rebellion charges that stemmed from the Ampatuans suspected participation in the Maguindanao massacre last November 23.

The 5 other Ampatuans summoned by the prosecuting panel are Mamasapano town mayor Banarin Ampatuan, Rajah Buayan town mayor Yacob Ampatuan, Datu Ulo Ampatuan, Datu Ipi Ampatuan and Datu Kanor Ampatuan.

If remembered, 4 other Ampatuan including the clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his sons ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan, Sajid Islam Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak mayor Anwar Ampatuan; vice governor Akmad Tato Ampatuan and 19 others were charged for rebellion before the Cotabato regional trial court last week.

Aside from the five other Ampatuans, the Department Of Justice also subpoenaed five other local officials who are suspected to joined the rebellion. They are Sultan sa Barongis town vice mayor Sukarno Badal, Barira town mayor Alexander Tumawis, Datu Undin town mayor Ombra Sinsuat, Parang town mayor Abu Talib and provincial administrator Nurie Unas.
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Ampatuans’ Ex-Child Assassin Speak-Up

by admin, on Fri, Dec 18 2009 | No Comments

‘I killed hundreds for the Ampatuans’ ‚Äì The Ex-Child Assassin


Anthony Taberna (ABS-CBN reported) interviews Abdul

Anthony Taberna (ABS-CBN reported) interviews Abdul

He was just 12 years old when ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan sent him to a mission to kill one of the family’s political rivals‚Äîa councilor for Sultan Kudarat. Abdul, not his real name, had been in the Ampatuan family service since he was 10. He was sent to school by the Ampatuans‚Äô from his grade 4 to 3rd year high school. When the Ampatuans allegedly ordered him to kill the councilor, then 12-year-old Abdul did not disappoint.

Abdul revealed a shocking testimony that murders were done by young boys in the service of the Ampatuan family. As a child assassin for the Ampatuans, Abdul said he killed no less than 100 people.

Abdul said he and 30 other young boys had been brought to a training camp in the mountains of South Upi municipality in Maguindanao, around 32 miles southeast of Sultan Kudarat.

According to Adbul, they were trained by Palestinians and Indonesians in combat tactics. “Para ring sundalo ‘yong training kasi iba ‘yong pagturo sa amin. Lahat nandoon na, parang paghawak ng baril, pagputok at pagtutok ng baril sa tao,” Abdul said.
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Rebellion Case Against Ampatuan’s Weakens The Murder Case

by admin, on Thu, Dec 17 2009 | 2 Comments

Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan

Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan

THE Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation on Monday recommended the filing of rebellion charges against five members of the powerful Ampatuan family including Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan, Sr. and his son Andal Ampatuan, Jr, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, and 19 members of the Maguindanao Civilian Volunteer Organization, the first to be charged with the offense after President Macapagal-Arroyo placed the province under martial law.

The rebellion charges are separate from murder cases being prepared against the Ampatuan’s over election-linked massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao last November 23, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said.

But, according to lawyer Harry Roque the Proclamation 1959 imposing martial law in parts of Maguindanao has weakened the case of prosecutors since a lot of the evidence that could have been used in the murder case was obtained without warrants.

“As a lawyer of some of the victims in the massacre, our case has been weakened because a lot of the evidence gathered by authorities was taken without warrants, which we can no longer use. It’s what we call the fruit of the poisoned tree. If it is illegally obtained, we cannot use it in court,” Atty. Roque said in an interview.
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