Judge orders S. Kudarat warden to transfer massacre suspect

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City judge handling the Maguindanao massacre trial has ordered the warden of the Sultan Kudarat District Jail to transfer a suspect in the multiple murder case to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Acting on a letter to Sultan Kudarat jail warden Chief Inspector Marlon Robles, Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes issued an order directing the transfer of suspect Sahid Guiamadel, known by the aliases Arnel Bacar Abdullah and Iden, to the Quezon City Jail-Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa.

In a letter to the court dated March 31, Robles requested an order for the transfer even as the court already issued a commitment order for the suspect in February.

Abdullah was arrested for illegal possession of firearms in Sultan Kudarat on Feb. 22, 2012.

His connection to the massacre, however, was only established earlier this year as a different Guiamadel – also known as Jun Aliman – was under the custody of the court.

In a ruling in January, Solis-Reyes ordered the release of Aliman as “reasonable doubt clouds the inference” that he is the Guiamadel charged for the massacre.

Mistaken identity

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) earlier came up with a report saying the arrest of Aliman on Dec. 14, 2011 in Kidapawan City was a case of mistaken identity.

“Given the probative value of the undisputed evidence on record emanating from the CIDG officer who at this instance, regularly performed their duties, and who admitted that concerned CIDG personnel erred in effecting the arrest, the court so concludes that the movant (Aliman) is not the accused Guiamadel,” read the order.

In a letter to Solis-Reyes in November 2013, then CIDG director Francisco Uyami said the real Guiamadel was in fact Abdullah.

The investigation of the CIDG showed that Police Officer 3 Edgar Dingcong, who arrested Aliman, was purposely misled by his informant, a certain Utto, that he was the suspect charged for the massacre.

Utto “had personal interests and motives” against Aliman, said Superintendent Benjamin Silo, acting chief of the CIDG investigation division.

“The arrest of Jun Aliman was anchored primarily on the picture and warrant of arrest against Sahid Guiamadel. It was not supported by any affidavit of identification or any other pertinent documents of identification that Jun Aliman and Sahid Guiamadel is one and the same person,” Silo said.

The investigator said there were pieces of evidence – including sworn statements of various persons – supporting the claim that Abdullah is the real Guiamadel.

Silo noted that Aliman had vigorously pursued before the proper court through appropriate motions for his immediate release on the ground of illegal arrest and mistaken identity, while Abdullah remained mum on the issue.

Earlier, the prosecution panel said they believe the findings of the CIDG investigation and was convinced that Abdullah was the real Guiamadel.

Once placed under the jurisdiction of the court, Abdullah will be the 109th suspect arrested by authorities for the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, which claimed the lives of 58 people including 32 media practitioners.

A total of 197 people were initially charged for the incident. Charges against three of those arrested have been dismissed by the court.