MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Ampatuan clan had planned to kill then Buluan vice mayor and now Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto†Mangudadatu in 2009, a state witness in the three-year-old massacre trial has testified.
Contingency plans for the murder covered three possible places where Mangudadatu could file his certificate of candidacy, former Sultan sa Barongis vice mayor Sukarno Badal told the Quezon City court last Thursday.
Badal testified that former Autonomous Region in Muslim Maguindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan was supposed to carry out the Manila option of the plot to liquidate Mangudadatu in case he decided to file his candidacy in Manila.
Badal said that Zaldy’s father, Andal Sr., was to lead the plan in Maguindanao, while former ARMM solicitor general Cynthia Sayadi and ex-Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas were to head the Cotabato option.
Mangudadatu eventually decided to file his candidacy in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009. But instead of personally appearing before the local poll office in the provincial capital, he sent his wife, relatives, lawyers, and aides to file his intention to run against the influential Ampatuans for the gubernatorial post.
The move was meant to thwart any attack as the convoy was composed mainly of women and members of the media, who were supposed to cover Mangudadatu’s filing of candidacy. Despite this, the group of 58 people, including 32 media practitioners, was stopped by several gunmen and brutally murdered.
State witness
Badal, a former political ally of the Ampatuan clan, testified after Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 excluded him from the charge sheet and allowed him to become a state witness.
More than 70 suspects, including Andal Sr. and his son Andal Jr., were brought to the makeshift courtroom at the Quezon City Jail annex at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City during the resumption of the hearing on Thursday.
According to Badal, he was at the meetings held to plan the liquidation of Mangudadatu.
Badal claimed he was at the massacre site and he saw Andal Jr. firing at the victims. He added that it was Andal Sr. who ordered his son over a two-way radio to kill everyone in the convoy.
At one point, Badal claimed hearing the Ampatuan patriarch saying they would all be arrested, after learning that there were members of the media in the convoy.
Strong case vs Zaldy
Prosecutor Aristotle Reyes told The STAR in a telephone interview yesterday that Badal’s testimony would strengthen the case against Zaldy.
“Badal’s testimony showed that (Zaldy) participated in the planning of the massacre,†the prosecutor said. “He is equally liable in the crime (as the rest of the accused).â€
Zaldy earlier pleaded not guilty to the 57 counts of murder filed against him.
In a second motion for bail filed before the court this month, Zaldy’s lawyer, Marcial Ferrer Lopez, said his client should be allowed to post bail as there was no evidence linking him to the crime.
Lopez noted that Zaldy was in Manila when the massacre happened, adding there were proof showing that he was not in Maguindanao when the supposed meeting to plan the massacre was held the day before the incident.
However, Badal said that the Nov. 22, 2009 meeting was just one of the meetings held to plan the elimination of Mangudadatu.
Citing the state witness’ testimony, Reyes said the meetings were held after a July 2009 meeting at the Department of National Defense (DND) where the Ampatuans tried to persuade Mangudadatu not to run against the political clan.
“He did not back out, so the Ampatuans had no choice but to liquidate him,†said the prosecutor, quoting Badal’s testimony.
The fiscal earlier said that they would present former government officials, including then-DND chief Gilbert Teodoro, to testify on the meeting between the Ampatuans and Mangudadatu.
Reyes said Badal is set to identify the massacre suspects when the trial on the bail petitions resumes next week.
Aside from Badal, Reyes said they are still pursuing their bid to turn other massacre suspects into a state witness.
Among them were alleged backhoe operator Bong Andal, Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, PO1 Rainier Ebus, and Esmael Canapia.
“We’re still evaluating their testimonies,†said Reyes.
During Thursday’s hearing, the defense said they would file a petition for certiorari to review the court’s decision. Lawyers for the Ampatuans earlier said that Badal appears to be the “most guilty†of the crime as other witnesses said he was among those who fired at the victims.