Accused seeks hospitalization, another suspect arrested

CMFR/Philippines – One of the accused in the Ampatuan Massacre has asked the Court’s permission to be hospitalized. Meanwhile, another individual suspected of involvement in the massacre was arrested on 26 April 2014 and will be arraigned on 7 May 2014.

Former Police Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg sought through his lawyer the permission of Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Branch 221 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to be brought to a hospital for medical examination and confinement if needed.

Macaraeg once testified against his co-accused in 2010, but has since been dropped from the prosecution list of state witnesses.

Macaraeg is detained at the police enclosure Camp Crame in Quezon City, Manila, separate from the other accused who are detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, Manila, for his security.

Judge Solis-Reyes asked the physician of the Philippine National Police Custodial Center to conduct a medical examination on Macaraeg to determine if he should be transferred to the nearest government hospital.

Suspect arrested

On 3 May 2014,  the latest massacre suspect to be arrested, former Police Inspector Saudi Mukamad was transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa, one week after his arrest in Maguindanao province last April 26.

According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police, there was a PHP250,000 reward (about USD5,500) for Mukamad’s arrest.

Over 100 suspects in the massacre have already been arrested.

Judge Solis-Reyes has ordered Mukamad’s arraignment on 7 May 2014.

On 23 November 2009, 58 people, 32 of whom were journalists and media workers, were killed in a single incident of election-related violence in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province. The trial of those accused of masterminding and carrying out the massacre started on January 2010, with 197 people initially named as accused.