Cop says he was paid $350 for massacre

MANILA, Philippines - A police officer yesterday testified in court that he was paid about $350 by Andal Ampatuan Jr. to help carry out the country’s worst political massacre.

Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon said he received the money from Ampatuan to set up the police checkpoint that stopped the convoy of a rival politician in Maguin­danao last year.

The convoy carried relatives of Esmael Mangudadatu who were going to file his candidacy to run against Ampatuan for provincial governor.

“Do you know who our enemies are? Are you capable of killing them?” Diongon quoted Ampatuan as saying.

He recalled answering “yes,” but said he only did so out of fear.

He said Ampatuan paid him P15,000 (about $350 dollars) for the job, adding that he saw at least three other police officials receive payoffs as well.

When the convoy carrying Mangudadatu’s wife and other relatives, their lawyers and 32 journalists arrived, Diongon said his men stopped their vehicles, allowing Ampatuan and his gunmen to take the passengers away.

Other witnesses in the trial have said that Ampatuan and his armed followers forced 57 people out of their vehicles, beat them up despite pleas for mercy before taking them to a hilly area where they were gunned down.

One witness, a former servant of the clan, said the Ampatuan family planned the massacre days in advance.

Diongon said he saw Ampatuan poking a gun at the passengers and hitting them but he did not say he witnessed the actual shooting.

The policeman was testifying for the prosecution in the trial of Ampatuan and several of his relatives and bodyguards as well as several policemen accused of helping in the massacre.