Group hits delay in 2 massacre suspects’ arraignment

MANILA, Philippines - A group of journalists criticized the deferment of the arraignment of two principal suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, saying it adds to the long list of delays in the last four years.

“The Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), in a statement issued on Saturday, said the delay in the arraignment of Sajid Islam Ampatuan and Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan are indications that the judicial system has not fully appreciated the significance of the massacre trial.

Sajid Islam is a son of clan patriarch Andal Sr. and was the officer-in-charge of the province of Maguindanao at the time of the massacre, while Akmad is a son-in-law of Andal Sr. They were arrested in 2009.

The FFFJ said that Sajid Islam and Akmad were originally scheduled for arraignment on June 26, but it was moved to July 3 when their lawyer filed a motion seeking the deferment of their arraignment until their separate petitions before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are resolved.

On July 2, the trial court denied the motion on the ground that petitions before the higher courts are not grounds for deferring the arraignment.

The judge, however, granted an oral request made by the defense lawyer to postpone his clients’ arraignment for another month and reset the arraignment to Aug. 7.

The FFFJ cited that Zaldy Ampatuan, for example, was arraigned only in December 2012, three years after his arrest.