MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE MOST COMPLEX, GRUESOME PNP HAS COME ACROSS
MANILA, NOVEMBER 27, 2009 (STAR) By Paolo Romero - The Maguindanao massacre is one of the most complex cases the Philippine National Police has ever come across, with the local security situation and involvement of members of powerful clans as among the complicating factors, PNP director for operations Director Andres Caro said yesterday.Caro said that from the police alone, over a hundred investigators and forensic personnel from Metro Manila and adjacent provinces are involved in the case.
“This is the most complex case we had, and possibly the most gruesome,” Caro told a news briefing at the Palace.
He said the investigation would also look into a conspiracy theory involving other members of the Ampatuan family.
He said at least 400 individuals, mostly government-authorized militiamen and some PNP personnel, have to be questioned for their possible involvement in what could be the country’s worst election-related violent incident.
Officers sacked
The Army’s 6th Infantry Division started collecting yesterday military-type assault rifles issued to members of two special militia companies under the control of Maguindanao’s influential Ampatuan clan.
Recovered from them were 351 assorted high-powered firearms, which will be placed under the custody of the 6th Army Division for safekeeping but will be made available if the PNP will need it for the investigation.
“All security personnel are also possible suspects,” Caro said.
PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, on the other hand, ordered the relief of the entire Ampatuan police force – all 20 police officers – pending the completion of an investigation.
Verzosa also ordered the relief and investigation of SPO2 Badawi Bakal, chief of the Ampatuan police station.
The PNP chief earlier ordered the relief and investigation of Maguindanao provincial police director Senior Superintendent Abusama Maguid; Shariff Aguak chief of police Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay; the commander of the 1508th Provincial Mobile Group Senior Inspector Ariel Diongon; the commander of the 1506th Provincial Mobile Group Inspector Armando Mariga; and the head of the 1507th Provincial Mobile Group Inspector Saudi Mokamad.
Verzosa also ordered the relief and investigation of Chief Superintendent Paisal Umpa, director of the ARMM police.
He said the relieved police officers will be questioned on their alleged links to the massacre.
Umpa, in particular, was ordered transferred to Camp Crame for questioning by the Directorate for Intelligence.
“We want an impartial investigation. We also want him to explain the historical background of the nature of the crime (massacre). He is now with the Directorate for Intelligence,” Verzosa said.
A newspaper report earlier said Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu had asked Umpa for police escorts for his supporters but the latter allegedly refused.
Verzosa said that as the investigation progresses, more personnel changes can be expected in the Maguindanao police force.
He also ordered the indefinite suspension of all permit to carry firearms outside of residences issued in the area.
DOJ in thick of things
As this developed, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said joint elements of the police and military have taken over the Maguindanao provincial capitol and two municipal halls to prevent suspects from using the three vital installations to avoid prosecution.
“What we did was to focus on three general areas: take physical control, conduct an honest-to-goodness investigation that will yield evidence that will hold up in court, and inform the public of developments and keeping confidential first information of sensitive character, measures that need to be implemented first before we can report it to the media,” Puno said.
He said the DOJ has also quietly taken the deposition of all witnesses to be able to build an airtight case against those responsible for the massacre.
He added that Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera was set to return to Manila Thursday afternoon with all the witnesses to the crime. He did not disclose the identities of the witnesses for security reasons.
The Napolcom, which Puno chairs, has also unanimously adopted a resolution withdrawing the deputation powers of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and all mayors of the municipalities in the province, which effectively strips them of all their powers over the local PNP in their respective areas of responsibility.
“There is an imperative need to withdraw the deputation of the governor and mayors to ensure that the law enforcement authorities in the area can effectively contain the explosive situation and immediately pursue and conduct a massive manhunt, effect the arrest and investigation of the perpetrators, and employ preemptive measures to prevent the escalation of violence and lawlessness in the province of Maguindanao,” the Napolcom resolution read.
Ordered relieved of their administrative and operational control over the local police were the governor of Maguindanao and the mayors of the municipalities of Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Pagagawan, Pagalungan, Paglat, Rajah Buayan, Gen. S.K. Pendatun, Sultan sa Barongis, Shariff Aguak, South Upi, Talayan, Talitay, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Pandang and Mangudadatu.
“There is a growing unrest among the populace and a breakdown of law and order in Maguindanao brought about by the inability of the governor and the mayors therein to immediately take control and supervision of the various facets of investigative and prosecutory requirements so that the perpetrators of the gruesome mass killings will be put to justice and thereby restore the trust and confidence of the people of Maguindanao in our criminal justice system,” the resolution read.
Without fear or favor
Meanwhile, Malacañang said the inquest and filing of charges against Ampatuan “is just the beginning.”
“The government will be relentless in bringing to justice all responsible for the gruesome Maguindanao massacre,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.
“President Arroyo wants all the culprits punished without fear or favor,” he said.
Caro said the PNP is also bracing for the possible spillover of the violence in the nation’s capital because the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus have houses in Metro Manila.
He said the PNP in Metro Manila has been placed on heightened alert and the residences of the two warring clans have been identified.
Teodoro: Get mastermind
Former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, for his part, asked the police authorities “to get the real suspects and not to settle for hapless fall guys so that justice could be served to those killed, especially the journalists.”
Teodoro, standard-bearer of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said he is prepared for whatever political repercussions the expulsion of the influential Ampatuan clan from the party will bring to his presidential campaign, saying the party has to act quickly because the situation in Mindanao is volatile.
“The situation in Maguindanao is extremely volatile at the moment. Any armed incident there involving members of the military, police or any other armed groups in the region could spark a full-fledged conflict,” he said.
Party lines or affiliation, he said, does not mean anything when the security and integrity of the state are at stake.
The expulsion of the Ampatuans, he added, is the least that the party leadership can do to condemn the Ampatuans for their failure to uphold party ideals and principles concerning peaceful and legal pursuits of political power. – John Unson, Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mike Frialde, Jaime Laude
Backhoe driver in PNP custody? By Cecille Suerte Felipe (The Philippine Star) Updated November 27, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The operator of the backhoe or excavating machine that dug the mass grave of the Maguindanao massacre victims is already in police custody, according to a military officer.
However, a police official told The STAR the man invited for questioning did not fit the description of the backhoe operator.
“We heard somebody was taken into custody for his alleged connection with the backhoe, but the identity is different, we will investigate further,” the police official said.
Sources told The STAR police investigators have identified the backhoe operator, but refused to name him pending further investigation.
“He (backhoe operator) is an employee of the provincial government,” the source said.
Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said investigators would establish who brought the heavy equipment to the crime scene, and who ordered the backhoe operator to dig the mass grave.
“We are looking at around 100 that could have participated in the abduction and killing,” he said.
“We have also to look into the use of a backhoe with markings of the provincial government of Maguindanao.
“Now the charges will depend on the complicity of the suspect being investigated.”
Puno said the backhoe operator could provide information on who ordered him to bring the backhoe and dig the mass grave.
“On the details of investigation, it is being handled by CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group),” he said.
“We have to look at the different items recovered: shells of different caliber, different clothing, documents, fingerprints taken from vehicles and different articles, will be compared also to all suspects and persons in custody, who may not necessarily be suspects.”
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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