Massacre witness faces raps for torching Ampatuan home

MANILA, Philippines - Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. has filed charges of robbery with arson against his cousin, who previously agreed to testify against the accused in the multiple murder case.

Defense lawyer Salvador Panelo, who represents Andal Jr. in the multiple murder case, said prospective prosecution witness Akmad Baganian Ampatuan is facing a complaint before the regional prosecutor of Maguindanao.

Andal Jr. has charged Akmad Baganian for allegedly taking part in the burning and looting of his house in Shariff Aguak, Panelo said.

The claim was part of a 16-page reply that Panelo submitted to a Quezon City court in connection with his request to move the schedule for the presentation of defense witnesses to February.

He further alleged that Akmad Baganian was a political enemy of his client, and that the former took part in “pressuring” prospective defense witnesses to turn against the suspects.

Panelo previously presented blotters to the court, containing information on the supposed participation of Akmad Baganian and another prosecution witness – Butch Saudagal – in threatening two potential witnesses.

Dennis Sakal and Nellymar Sali were killed in separate shootings in November.

Panelo told Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes he needs more time to look for more witnesses following their deaths.

In opposing Panelo’s request, private prosecutor Nena Santos said the blotters released by Panelo were drawn up in the municipality of Datu Unsay, in which the wife of Andal Jr. is the mayor.

 “It is common knowledge how co-opted are the police personnel in the Ampatuan-controlled municipalities as shown in how the police personnel were used as conspirators in the setting up of checkpoints and abduction that lead to the massacre of 58 people,” she said.

Panelo, however, stressed that the documents should speak for themselves.

“The rule on the presumption of regularity on their issuance applies to them,” said the lawyer.

“The private prosecutor, other than her imagined discrepancy on the font and on the letterhead, has not presented any proof that those certified copies of the pertinent extracts of the police blotter are fake,” he added.

Also ambushed

Earlier in December, Akmad Baganian was wounded in an ambush in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

Private prosecutor Prima Jesusa Quinsayas said Akmad Baganian is a nephew of clan patriarch and former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

The elder Ampatuan, along with some of his sons and grandsons, were charged with multiple murder and are currently under trial for the Maguindanao massacre.

Akmad Baganian is different from Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan, a son-in-law of Andal Sr., who is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for the same charges.

Based Commission on Elections records, Akmad Baganian won in the Datu Salibo mayoralty race in 2010 as an independent candidate.

However, he lost his re-election bid to independent candidate Norodin Salambai “Franco” Salasal during the 2013 elections. At the time, he ran under the banner of Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas party of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

According to Quinsayas, Akmad Baganian has expressed his intention to testify against his relatives in the Maguindanao massacre trial.

A copy of the affidavit he executed is with Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, but the court has yet to be officially informed that he will be presented as a prosecution witness, she said.