Maguindanao massacre witness fears for his life

MANILA, Philippines - Fearing for his life, “Jessie,” the man who claimed to be one of the gunmen who murdered 57 people in Maguindanao last year, has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to put him and his family under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Jessie said he can help the prosecution establish evidence to prove the guilt of principal suspects Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his father former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

The DOJ is yet to approve his application to be placed under the program.

Speaking to reporters last Tuesday, Jessie described in detail how they shot the victims with high-powered firearms in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town.

Jessie said he came forward because the powerful Ampatuan clan had threatened to kill him.

“Sometime in January 2010, I decided to leave our designated safehouse after I learned that I, too, had been marked for liquidation,” he said. “I know what Datu Unsay is capable of doing. But I do not want the secrets of the Ampatuans buried with me.”

He said some 200 armed men blocked the convoy in Sitio Malating, Barangay Salman, but only 26 accompanied the convoy to the hilly portion of Sitio Masalay, he added.

Jessie said of the 26, Ampatuan Jr. assigned seven to shoot the victims: him, Ampatuan Jr. himself, Datu Kanor, Datu Ban, Datu Mama, a certain Kudja, and a police officer he identified as Police Officer 1 Ando Masukat.

Ampatuan Jr.’s legal counsel, Sigfrid Fortun said “contrived and rehearsed witnesses always surface late.”

Meanwhile, the relatives of 13 journalists included in the massacre yesterday filed grave misconduct charges against 62 police officers tagged in the slaughter.

In a 17-page compliant filed before the National Police Commission (Napolcom), the complainants asked for a 90-day preventive suspension against officers of the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office, the 1507th and 1508th Maguindanao Provincial Mobile Groups and the 15th Regional Mobile Group of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“They (officers) are in the position to harass, intimidate, coerce and unduly influence the complainants and their witnesses into withdrawing or retracting their complaints,” said the complainants.

Among those charged were eight top police officials: Maguindanao provincial director Chief Inspector Zukarno Dicay, Supt. Abusama Munda Maguid, Supt. Abdulwahid Pedtucasan, Supt. Bahnarin Kamaong, Insp. Saudi Mokamad/Mukamad, Sr. Insp. Abdulgapor Abad; Insp. Michael Joy Ynes Macaraeg, and Insp.Rex Ariel Diongon. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Reinir Padua, Pia Lee-Brago