Fiscals offer evidence vs massacre suspects’ bail plea

MANILA, Philippines - The prosecution panel in the Maguindanao massacre trial has formally offered its evidence in opposition to the bail petition of 37 suspects in connection with the murder case filed for the death of the alleged 58th victim.

In a 17-page formal offer dated Nov. 6, the prosecutors asked Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 to admit the exhibits in opposition to the bail petition of some suspects, including that of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his sons Andal Jr., Zaldy, Anwar and Sajid Islam.

The prosecutors adopted all documentary and testimonial evidence that were previously offered in opposition to the bail petition of some 60 suspects in the earlier 57 counts of murder.

In addition to these, the panel also offered evidence to prove that the alleged 58th victim, photojournalist Reynaldo Momay, was part of the convoy whose members were killed on Nov. 23, 2009.

The remains of Momay, who worked for local newspaper Midland Review, were never found. A team led by a forensic expert from the Commission on Human Rights recovered parts of the photojournalist’s supposed dentures, which was also offered as evidence by the prosecution.

The Department of Justice earlier said that even “though Momay’s body was not found at the killing fields located at Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, there is sufficient evidence that he was indeed part of the ill-fated convoy.”

The panel already filed its formal offer of evidence in opposition to the bail petition of the suspects in the initial 57 counts of murder. The hearings on the 58th case were held later than the rest as it was only filed in September 2012, almost three years after the massacre.

The defense is now expected to file its comment on the formal offer of evidence in opposition to the bail petition.

Court records show that two of the 108 arrested suspects are still not arraigned for the initial 57 counts of murder. They were Talembo Masukat and Sahid Guiamadil, who both claim that their apprehension were cases of mistaken identities. Six suspects are still not arraigned for the 58th case.

A total of 197 people were initially implicated in the massacre.