Government urged to disarm political warlords

MANILA, Philippines - A former senator has called on the government to disarm all political warlords in the country including the Ampatuan clan, which is reportedly still in possession of high-powered guns despite a crackdown against all firearms in Maguindanao.

Former senator Francisco Tatad also said the weapons confiscated recently by the police and the military were vintage guns and not the ones used by private armies.

The crackdown came after a massacre of more than 50 people in Ampatuan town on Nov. 23 by a group reportedly led by a member of the Ampatuan clan, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. He is now under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation after his arrest on Thursday.

The victims included the wife of Buluan town Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, his sisters, journalists and lawyers. They were on their way to Shariff Aguak to file his certificate of candidacy for governor when waylaid by some 100 heavily armed men.

Tatad, who is an honorary Muslim Sultan, said some of his Muslim friends who know the Ampatuans have expressed skepticism over the turnover of the weapons as shown in photos and on TV.

“The Ampatuans have more sophisticated and powerful weapons,” he said, quoting his Muslim friends.

Tatad also called on investigators to check reports that the mass graves for the victims had been prepared at least two days before the carnage.

Sen. Pia Cayetano said authorities have to be more aggressive in their effort to disarm private armies.

“Our police and armed forces would have to do better than showcasing 300 rusting garand rifles that were supposedly confiscated from members of the Ampatuans’ private militia,” she said.

“Seriously now, I don’t think anyone would believe that the Ampatuans had been able to lord it over Maguindanao with a private army that uses relic rifles from World War II,” said Cayetano, chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice.

“That’s a big joke! Where are the high-powered firearms used by the perpetrators last Monday?”

Cayetano blamed the public’s skepticism over the progress of the investigation on the Arroyo administration’s closeness with the Ampatuans.

It was widely believed that the Ampatuans helped the Arroyo administration manipulate the results of the 2004 elections in Maguindanao to ensure the victory of Mrs. Arroyo by at least one million votes over popular actor Fernando Poe Jr.

“It was the Arroyo administration which spawned the monster in Maguindanao. In order to slay it, it would have to take great political will from the government and the people’s continued vigilance,” she said.

Sen. Francis Escudero, for his part, said the massacre showed the insincerity of authorities in enforcing gun permit laws.

“If you are not a soldier or personnel in uniform, you have no business carrying a gun,” he said.

National Press Club president Benny Antiporda told the weekly Kapihan sa Sulo news forum that among the firearms seized from the Ampatuans were 200 Bush Master and 200 more assorted modern weapons recently bought in the Middle East. The Bush Master weapons were reportedly given as gifts to the Ampatuans by a prominent political personality in Manila.

OK of House bill pushed

For the Philippine National Police (PNP), Senate approval of a House-sponsored gun control bill would pave the way for a stronger drive against illegal firearms.

“The endorsement by House Speaker Prospero Nograles of the proposed legislation is an encouraging development in our desire to establish effective firearms control in the country,” PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said.

“It is high time that law enforcement should be given stronger legal foundation to enable us to act decisively with the full might of the law behind us against persons in possession of loose firearms, especially those used in criminal activity,” Versoza said.

The House of Representatives earlier approved on third reading House Bill 6776 seeking stiffer penalties for illegal possession of firearms.

The measure also seeks to make illegal possession of three or more firearms a non-bailable offense punishable by life imprisonment.

Suspend permits to carry

Former Defense chief and administration party standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said ensuring order in troubled areas particularly during the elections may require the suspension of all permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR).

“The PNP should seriously consider an early total gun ban by immediately suspending the privilege to bear firearms covered by PTCFORs, particularly in areas identified by the Commission on Elections as election hot spots,” Teodoro said.

He said a January gun ban may be too late since election-related violence has already erupted.

He said authorities should adopt a zero-tolerance policy on private armies in next year’s elections.

The Comelec-imposed gun ban is from Jan. 9, 2010 until June 10, 2010.

“By ensuring that all authorized firearms are placed under lock-and-key, the PNP can concentrate on its task of arresting illegal gun owners and private armed groups out to disrupt the coming elections,” the Lakas standard bearer added.

In the 2007 elections, three regions that logged the highest number of incidents involving firearms were the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Western Mindanao.

“Shortcuts in how the law regarding the possession and ownership of firearms is implemented are partly to blame for violent crimes. These rules were not placed to be conveniently ignored for a price,” he said.

“The privilege to bear firearms covered by PTCFORs can be validly revoked by the state to protect its citizens.” Teodoro stressed.

“Only when criminal elements see that the police mean business in cracking down on unregistered firearms will the gun ban be an effective deterrent against election-related violence,” he added.

“A review of the entire system to ensure that those in need of protection do not abuse the privilege will help prevent a repetition of the Maguindanao massacre where at least 57 people were mercilessly killed, including 30 local newsmen,” Teodoro stressed.

“In impoverished areas, we must work so that the unemployed are armed with practicable skills and tools and not let them be exploited by recruitment to private militias. Lastly we must work to ensure that those who commit crimes be held accountable for their acts,” he pointed out.

Disarmed bodyguards

Meanwhile in Davao City, members of the Army-led Task Force Davao seized yesterday a number of high-powered firearms from the bodyguards of ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and 22 other members of his family at the vicinity of the Davao International Airport where they took a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila to visit his detained brother.

Task Force Davao chief Col. Oscar Lactao said taken from Ampatuan’s bodyguards and companions were a Bushmaster rifle, an M653 rifle and four .45 caliber pistols.

Lactao told The STAR that the seizure of the firearms was part of the city’s rule against the carrying of firearms.

“There was no resistance on the part of the Ampatuans when their firearms were taken from them,” Lactao said.

It was learned that barely two hours after the Ampatuans left, Mangudadatu and five other companions reportedly took the next PAL flight.

Army troops escorted Mangudadatu on Friday night when he went from Tacurong City to Davao City. Task Force Davao troops brought him directly to his residence at the Insular Village.

“It is hard if the two factions would meet at the airport with those firearms,” Lactao said. “What is important is we have prevailed upon them that high-powered firearms are not allowed in the city,” he said.

Lactao said the firearms seized from the Ampatuans would be subjected to ballistic tests. No firearms were seized from Mangudadatu’s group.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has imposed contingency measures to prevent the Maguindanao violence from spilling over to the city. The children of the two clans are studying in the city.

“We are not taking sides here. What we want to impose is the law and we hope everybody would follow,” Duterte said.

Sulu potential flashpoint

In Zamboanga City, Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, chief of Western Mindanao Command, said they are closely monitoring developments in Sulu, the province reportedly next to Maguindanao with the biggest number of armed groups.

Dolorfino also said his command supports the complete disbanding of private armed groups in the province. 

“Next to Maguindanao, Sulu is the province to watch out for,” Dolorfino warned. “There are so many armed groups.”

He said the province is haven to so-called lost command rebels and the Abu Sayyaf group. Political leaders in the province have their own private armies.

Dolorfino said the Sulu provincial government has organized a 2,500-man Civilian Emergency Force (CEF) under police supervision. A powerful clan has also recruited around 1,500 civilian volunteers. – With Roel Pareño, Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude, Mike Frialde