By TESSA JAMANDRE
HEARINGS on the Maguindanao massacre resumed Wednesday, the first under the Aquino government, with former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and 16 other suspects pleading not guilty to the murder of the 57th victim, UNTV journalist Victor Nunez.
Ampatuan, the alleged mastermind, and the other suspects, mostly police officers, were each asked in Filipino and entered their pleas separately.
Arraigned were Inspector Sukarno Dicay, PO3 Rasid Anton, Takpan Dilon, Esmael Canapia, PO2 Hernanie Decipulo Jr., PO2 Saudiar Ulah, PO2 Saudi Pasutan, PO1 Herich Amaba, PO1 Esprielito Lejarso, PO1 Rainer Ebus, Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, Michael Joy Macaraeg, PO1 Pia Kamidon, Muhamad Sangki, Maot Dumla and Thong Guimano.
Arraignment of four other accused police officers—Supt. Abdulwahid Pedtucasan, Inspector Abdulgapor Abad, PO1 Michael Macarongon, PO1 Mohammad Balading–has been deferred.
In a faded yellow shirt, Ampatuan rose from his seat from the far right of the courtroom when his name was called. He proceeded to the middle aisle, ushered by his lawyer and security escort.
When the clerk of court finished reading the information, Ampatuan was the first to be asked what plea he would enter. He replied in a resounding but emotionless voice, “Not guilty.”
The relatives of the victims seated to the far left to where he was standing stared at him intently. Others looked away. One of them shook his head while another looked down.
The arraignment marked the start of what may be a long and arduous trial in seeking justice to those who were summarily executed, mostly journalists, on Nov. 23 in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao.
But Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who lost the most family members among the victims, said he hopes that justice would be swift under the new government.
A pre-trial conference to pre-mark evidence and evaluate witnesses will begin on the afternoon of Aug. 4.
The arraignment of the Ampatuan patriarch Andal Sr., four members of his family and six policemen was postponed pending resolution of the various motions they had filed in court.
Andal Jr. has petitioned for the inhibition of Judge Solis-Reyes from the case, a petition rejoined by another defense lawyer for the other accused. Reyes said she would take up the motion, the sixth to be filed by the accused, in the next court hearing.
A total of 196 stand accused in the case, including 15 policemen, three soldiers and 21 members of the Ampatuan clan. All have been issued warrants of arrest, but 135 remain at large. This is the biggest criminal prosecution in terms of number of respondents that the country has seen since World War II.
Earlier, the court dismissed the murder case against one policeman, PO1 Johann Draper, for lack of probable cause.
The respondents faced the court in a police camp in Bicutan, with one group in yellow T-shirts and the other in orange. Ampatuan’s lawyer questioned the apparent distinction of two groups, and the judged asked the prosecution to explain.
It was learned that those clad in orange belong to the group whom the government has petitioned to be transferred from Camp Bagong Diwa to the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City. Prosecutors sought the transfer after a reported “clash” between Ampatuan supporters and some of the accused who earlier announced their intention to turn state witness.
Ampatuan’s counsel said the apparent distinction was unnecessary while the petition for transfer was still pending before the court. But Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon said while awaiting for the court’s ruling, one group has been moved to another cell for security reasons, hence the difference in the color of the shirt they were wearing.
At the close of the hearing, a statement in a yellow pad paper was tossed to the media from the prison cells, in which the accused police officers who appeared in “yellow” belied the alleged confrontation inside their cell.
Claiming loyalty only to the republic and the PNP organization, the accused policemen said, “There’s no such thing as Ampatuan loyalists inside as reported in a rumored rumble inside our cell. Please consider also our welfare because we have also dedicated our lives to our country.”
The handwritten statement further read: “We are loyalists of the PNP organization and not to anybody. We cry for justice.”