Maguindanao massacre: PNP revs up manhunt for 94 more suspects

MANILA, Philippines - With only five days to go before the third anniversary of the massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao on Friday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is intensifying its effort to locate 94 suspects still at large.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the investigating arm of the PNP, said it will hold a press conference today to update the media on the effort to locate the fugitives linked to the massacre, considered the worst crime in Philippine history.

At present, police authorities have accounted for 102 accused in the massacre, said to be masterminded by the Ampatuans, who lorded over Maguindanao several years ago. Former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and several other members of the clan have been jailed.

Records show that of the 94 fugitives, 17 of them are members of the Ampatuan clan. Among them are former mayors Banjarin Ampatuan and Saudi Ampatuan Jr., former vice mayor Kanor Ampatuan and Police Officer 1 Alfie Pagabangan.

Investigators said another dilemma of Task Force Maguindanao was the fact that some of the accused were identified only through first names.

“When we get persons by their names we have to conduct another investigation just to establish the fact that what we have accounted for, arrested is the same person,” a CIDG official said.

Investigators said all the fugitives linked to the massacre have bounties ranging from P250,000 to P300,000 for their capture.