15 cops in Maguindanao massacre seek jail transfer

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen policemen who are being eyed as prosecution witnesses in the “Maguindanao massacre” are asking the court to put them in a detention facility away from the Ampatuans, who are being held in the Camp Bagong Diwa jail in Taguig City.

Prosecutors filed Wednesday afternoon before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 an urgent motion to transfer these 15 “prospective prosecution witnesses” from the Bagong Diwa jail to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City, “away from accused Datu Unsay (Andal Ampatuan Jr.), Andal Ampatuan Sr. and their kin.”

Those who signed the motion are Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay; Senior Police Officer 2 Badawi Bakal; Senior Police Officer 1 Eduardo Ong; Police Officers 3 Felix Enate Jr., Anton Rasid, and Abdulgani Abibudin; Police Officers 2 Saudi Pasutan, Nana Hamad, Saudiar Ulah and Hernani Saulong Decupilo Jr.; and Police Officers 1 Esmael Guialal, Abdullah Baguadatu, Esprielito Legarso, Herich Amaba and Michael Madsig.

It was cited in the motion a report, purportedly received by the prosecution on April 22 that Andal Sr. and Andal Ampatuan Jr. had allegedly threatened Bakal “that something untoward will befall him and his family if he refused to sign a document falsely identifying prosecution witness Rasul Sangki as among those who shot the victims in the massacre.”

According to prosecutors, keeping the 15 policemen at the facility in Camp Bagong Diwa “leaves them vulnerable to physical harm, serious threats, psychological pressure and undue influence.”

They said such would “adversely affect” the policemen’s ability and resolve to testify truthfully.

“As a matter of fact, certain individuals associated with accused mastermind and triggerman have been working hard to unduly influence prosecution witnesses to dissuade them from testifying, to recant their previous statements if not altogether silence them,” the motion said.

The prosecutors said the head of the PNP Custodial Center has expressed willingness to produce the policemen whenever required by the court.