Arroyo back as defense witness in massacre case

MANILA, Philippines - Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is back on the list of defense witnesses in the Maguindanao massacre case.

During the pre-trial conference held today, defense lawyer Gregorio Narvasa told the court that among the witnesses they intend to present is the former president.

When asked by reporters later on about it, Narvasa declined to comment on their latest move to include the former president again in the list of defense witnesses.

The defense panel earlier included Arroyo among the prospective witnesses, but the name of the former president, who is a known ally of the Ampatuans, was later stricken off the list.

Narvasa, along with Sigfrid Fortun, represents primary suspects Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Both father and son have pleaded not guilty to the multiple murder charges in connection with the November 23, 2009 killings in Ampatuan town.

There are a total of 196 accused in the massacre case being heard by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezno City Regional Trial Court Branch 221.

The pre-trial conference was for the case of Andal Sr. and 31 others who have filed their petitions to post bail.

Lawyer Romel Bagares of Center for International Law, which represents families of 15 victims of the massacre, said they were “shocked” by the latest move of the defense lawyers.

It was not clear yet though which matters the former president will testify on. According to Bagares, it could only be revealed immediately before Arroyo takes the witness stand.

 “In fact we are looking forward to her testifying,” the lawyer said.

In a related development, Roque said that while the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has finally obtained the freeze order on the questioned assets of the Ampatuan, they were afraid that there might not be anymore assets to freeze at this point.

“We sincerely hope the Anti-Money Laundering Council isn’t playing ‘too late the hero here’,” Roque said.

The AMLC has finally obtained a 20-day freeze order from the Court of Appeals against assets of the powerful Ampatuan clan.

“It’s about time the Anti-Money Laundering Council did this…We hope there is still something to freeze because more than 500 days have already passed since the massacre and it is only now that the AMLC chairman, Armando Tetangco Jr., the Central Bank governor, finally lifted a finger – we fear that so much opportunity had already been lost,” Roque said.

He cited that on May 4, Roque charged Tetangco and other members of the AMLC for failing to immediately freeze the assets of Andal Ampatuan Sr. and other principal accused in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre.

Roque’s clients filed in December last year a request with the AMLC for an investigation on the alleged money laundering activities of the Ampatuans.

They were surprised to learn that no government agency had made a similar request and the AMLC itself had, up to that point, not started any investigation on the fabled wealth of the Ampatuans. At a time with Roque’s clients.

Roque said AMLC officials promised swift action on their request, but after waiting for word from the AMLC on their request for six months, the lawyer filed graft, dereliction of duty and administrative misconduct charges against Tetangco.

He also included former Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson Fe Barin and Vida Chiong, acting Commissioner of the Insurance Commission – all members of the AMLC – in the charge sheet.

He filed the complaint on behalf of Ma. Cipriana Gatchalian, Myrna Reblando and Editha Mirandilla Tiamzon whose husbands were killed in the massacre while Juliet Palor Evardo is the mother of victim Daniel Becollado Tiamzon from UNTV.

The complainants said that with the investigatory powers of AMLC, it could have immediately ordered an investigation into the reported ill-gotten wealth of the Ampatuans.