Judge believes Ampatuans had no ‘jail party’

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City judge handling the Maguindanao massacre trial was satisfied with the explanation of a jail warden who denied that members of the Ampatuan clan held a party at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City in 2010.

In a two-page order released yesterday, Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Assisting Judge Genie Gapas-Agbada said the “matter is now considered closed and terminated” after finding the explanation of Quezon City Jail-Annex jail warden Superintendent Clement Laboy satisfactory.

The order was in view of the third motion for a show cause order filed by the prosecution panel over the alleged party on June 5, 2010.

In the three-page motion, former lead prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon cited a newspaper report that cited sources that a party was held in the jail.

The report said meals from a popular fast food chain were served, and that Korean pop music was blaring from loudspeakers.

But in his explanation, dated July 9, 2010, Laboy said the date in question was a Saturday and the noisy party-like atmosphere may have been due to the presence of families visiting the 87 inmates in the facility.

He also noted that the jail is surrounded by other facilities that may have thrown a party on their own that day and may have produced loud music, which can be heard loud and clear and be suspected to have come from the jail.

Laboy added that he was present that day and “has not witnessed any party happening as alleged but a regular crowded visiting area where inmates together with their visitors were busy doing their thing.”