Ampatuan lawyer: Arrest new state witness

MANILA, Philippines - A new state witness placed under the witness protection program (WPP) by the Department of Justice (DOJ) should be taken into custody by the police as he has outstanding arrest warrants, a lawyer for Maguindanao massacre primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. said.

Salvador Panelo told The STAR yesterday that Akmad Baganian Ampatuan – a close relative of the primary suspects in the multiple murder case – should be detained and face trial for the charges filed against him.

Akmad Baganian, a nephew of clan patriarch Andal Sr., is currently confined at a hospital in Makati City, where he underwent surgery for the injuries he sustained following two ambush attempts last year.

Contrary to reports, he is not an accused in the Maguindanao massacre case. Akmad Baganian is different from Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan, the son-in-law of Andal Sr. who is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for the multiple murder case.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday confirmed that Akmad Baganian is under the WPP and that he should be under the government’s custody.

De Lima stressed the danger on his life, and said that they would file an appropriate motion informing a Cotabato City court that issued arrest warrants against him that his custody should be given to the WPP.

The secretary said his testimony is important, particularly in the second wave of complaints filed against 50 people, including incumbent Cotabato City administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

But according to Panelo, the arrest warrants should take precedence, considering that the motion of the Department of Justice has yet to be filed.

He urged the police to take custody of Akmad Baganian, a former mayor of Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao.

Panelo previously filed a non-bailable arson case against the potential prosecution witness for allegedly taking part in the burning and looting of the house of Andal Jr. in Shariff Aguak last year.

Judge George Jabido of the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 in Cotabato City issued the arrest warrant.

Guiani-Sayadi ‘revives’ murder case

Meanwhile, private prosecutor Nena Santos – lawyer for Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu – said the second case against Akmad Baganian was a murder charge revived by Guiani-Sayadi.

“The real complainants already desisted in the said case as it was settled under the Muslim laws and tradition,” said Santos in a text message to The STAR.

“It was revived by… Sayadi to get back at Akmad Ampatuan who is one of the witnesses against her in the second wave of the Ampatuan massacre case,” she added.

Guiani-Sayadi – sister of Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani, Jr. – was the ARMM solicitor-general under then regional governor Zaldy at the time of the massacre.

Earlier, she said that she is ready to answer accusations against her. She hired the services of the Fortun Narvasa & Salazar (FNS) law firm to represent her.

The FNS law firm previously represented primary accused Andal Sr. and his sons Andal Jr. and Zaldy in the multiple murder case.