'I'm a victim of mistaken identity'

MANILA, Philippines - A security guard who claimed that he was a victim of mistaken identity when he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre, has asked the Quezon City court to release him.

The accused identified himself as Jun Aliman and claimed that he is not the Sahid Guiamadel who is wanted for the murders.

Aliman, a security guard of the Cotabato Provincial Hospital, was arrested on Dec. 14, 2010 based on an arrest warrant issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221.

The warrant was in Guiamadel’s name, allegedly a member of the civilian volunteer organization a local militia in Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao.

In his pleading before the court, Aliman said he is now being illegally detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City because he is not the man indicated in the arrest order.

Aliman claimed that the P500,000 reward for the capture of Guiamadel could be the motive for the police to insist that he was the same person as the accused.

In the pleading, he asked the court to release him from detention and to terminate his arraignment on the multiple murder charges against him.

The accused said he is not Guiamadel and that he was never a CVO member.

He claimed that he obtained an Agricultural Technology degree from the Cotabato City Polytechnic College in 2004.

He also presented clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation.

Aliman also said a photo comparison of his graduation photo and that of the real Guiamadel would show “distinct” facial features, which would raise “conclusive evidence that Aliman is not Guiamadel.”