MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has dropped 10 police officers from its roster for being absent without official leave (AWOL) since they were implicated in a massacre of 57 persons in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province last year.
Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, director of the PNP-Task Force Maguindanao, said the 10 police officers went on AWOL after the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, wherein 32 of the 57 victims were journalists covering the filing of the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan vice mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who won the post of Maguindanao governor in the May 10 polls.
Of the 10 wanted police officers, Estipona said only one was a police commissioned officer with the rank of inspector, or an equivalent of lieutenant in the military. He said the missing lawmen are Inspector Saudi Mokamad, head of the 1507th Provincial Mobile Group; PO1 Ysmael Baraguir; PO2 Tany Delgan; PO1 Jonathan Engid; PO1 Abbey Guiadem; PO1 Datu Nor Kadir; PO1 Joharto Kamendan; PO1 Warden Legawan; PO1 Anwar Masukat; and PO1 Dumamba Musa.
With only 83 accused accounted for, the PNP formed 20 tracker teams to go after 112 more accused in the massacre, considered the worst in the country’s history.
The Department of Interior and Local Government has offered P28 million for information that will lead to the arrest of the accused who remain at large.
Estipona said they are doubling their efforts to hunt down the 112 fugitives – some of them members of the Ampatuan clan, police officers, soldiers, and civilian volunteer organization members.
Former Sultan sa Barongis town vice mayor Sukarno Badal, who surrendered to the authorities, has pointed to the Ampatuans, particularly Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who allegedly ordered his men to open fire at the victims.
Andal Jr. wants new witness charged
Meanwhile, Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Silvino Pampilo ordered yesterday Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors to answer a petition filed by Ampatuan Jr., who wants to include witness Kenny Dalandag as a suspect in the massacre.
Pampilo said he has given the DOJ 15 days from Dec. 10 to file their answer, after which he will set a pre-trial of the case wherein both parties will “sit down” and clarify issues, and reach a settlement if possible.
Pampilo said for a person to be a state witness, he should have the least participation in the commission of a crime.
Dalandag, a supposed member of the Ampatuan militia armed group turned state witness, claimed that clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. ordered his son and namesake to carry out the massacre during a family gathering. Dalandag is now under the government’s protective custody.
In a 17-page petition, Ampatuan Jr. insisted Dalandag should be criminally charged since he admitted his participation in the planning and execution of the massacre, including his role in meetings and activities before the murders took place.
“He owned up to being present when the Mangudadatu convoy was flagged down in Sitio Malting preparatory to their being killed,” Ampatuan Jr. said. – With Sandy Araneta