Massacre witness testifies vs Andal Jr.

MANILA, Philippines - A former ally of the Ampatuan clan who turned state witness in the Maguindanao massacre trial yesterday testified that he personally witnessed how Andal Ampatuan Jr. shot the victims.

Former Sultan Sabarongis vice mayor Sukarno Badal told Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes he saw Andal Jr. shoot the victims, including the wife of now Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu.

Badal said he was with Andal Jr. at the massacre site at Sitio Masalay, Ampatuan town when the victims were brought there after their convoy was blocked by armed men on their way to Shariff Aguak.

The convoy was on their way to file Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy as Maguindanao governor when at least 100 armed men blocked them.

 â€œAndal Jr. and Datu Kanor (Ampatuan) looked at each other when Bai Genalyn (Mangudadatu’s wife), and Bai Gigi were pushed and shot simultaneously,” Badal said.

After the massacre, the witness said he accompanied Andal Jr. toward the mountains, where the latter changed his bloodied shirt.

He identified Datu Nords, Datu Pandag, Datu Bahnarin and Datu Ulo, all members of the Ampatuan clan as among those who shot the victims.

 Badal also testified having seen former Maguindanao police provincial chief Sukarno Dicay as among those present in several meetings held by the Ampatuans to plan the massacre.

A total of 58 victims were killed in the massacre, including 32 media practitioners.

Meanwhile, the prosecution panel in the massacre trial is opposing the defense’s recommendation to schedule additional hearing dates to expedite the court proceedings.

In a six-page opposition filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, the prosecutors asked Solis-Reyes to junk the petition filed by the defense, saying it was against previous court rulings.

They noted that Solis-Reyes had earlier denied multiple requests to schedule separate hearings on the bail petitions of the suspects in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre.

“It was held that separate trials will indubitably cause delay as there would be a need to recall prosecution witnesses in view of the presentation of common witnesses,” the prosecution said.

The fiscals said the delays in the proceedings were not because of their refusal to set additional trial dates but due to the defense counsels’ refusal to allow presentation of vital witnesses who would positively identify some of the accused.

“The bail proceedings should have long ended had these crucial witnesses been allowed to testify,” they said, adding that additional trial dates would be “humanly impossible” as they are also handling other cases aside from the Maguindanao massacre. –With Janvic Mateo