2 nabbed in slay of witness

MANILA, Philippines - Police have arrested two of four suspects in the murder of Sweb Dalanda Bedo, alias Jesse, a confessed participant and potential state witness in the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao last Nov. 23.

The suspects, Abdullah Pasawilan, alias Bedo Pasawilan, and Morsed Simpal, were arrested in their respective homes in Parang, Maguindanao last Friday, based on field reports of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Police have linked the two suspects to the murder of Bedo with aliases Jesse and Suwaib Upham, who had confessed to being one of the gunmen in the gruesome massacre.

Police confiscated two grenades and two caliber 45 pistols from the suspects, which were submitted to Crime Laboratory for ballistics and forensic examinations.

Pasawilan and Simpal were presented for inquest proceedings on Friday before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

CIDG operatives are still tracking down two more suspects in Bedo’s murder.

The arrests came on the heels of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) offer of a P28-million reward for any information leading to the arrest of 112 more suspects in the Maguindanao massacre.

In Memorandum Circulars 2010-53 and 55 issued on June 29, the DILG approved a monetary reward of P250,000 for the capture of each of the 112 accused.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, could not also explain why only 112 accused have reward on their head when there were 134 accused still in hiding.

The 112 suspects were 96 members of Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs) and 16 PNP members.

Witness protection ordered

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s ordered greater protection for the witnesses against the Ampatuan clan.

“A special team of prosecutors is sitting down with police on how to firmly and effectively address the spate of killings, violence and harassment of witnesses,” De Lima said on Sunday.

“The stepped up efforts include the immediate tracking down and arrest of the others accused.”

She said close to 100 Ampatuan gunmen remained at large and continued to receive orders from their jailed patrons.

“For as long as they’re still physically out there, and seemingly with resources and communication access to and from their big bosses, the atmosphere of violence and climate of fear will subsist,” De Lima said, adding that authorities needed to “neutralize” the threat they posed.

The Ampatuan clan, which ruled southern Maguindanao province for a decade, enjoyed political ties with former president and now Pampanga second district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Ampatuan’s used their huge private army as a force against separatist rebels.

A total of 196 people were charged in connection with the multiple murders, including 13 members of the clan, among them the patriarch Andal Sr. and his sons, suspended ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. who allegedly led the brutal murders.

Police said that a total of 62 people involved in the massacre are now detained at the maximum detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig including the key Ampatuan members and at least 40 policemen.

Seven of the locked up Ampatuans are Andal Jr., Andal Sr., Zaldy, acting Maguindanao Gov. Sajid, Akmad, Anwar and Sanky.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has alerted police regional offices in Central Mindanao and ARMM to “intensify manhunt operations to account for these wanted persons.”