Suspect’s bid for exclusion from trial denied; another suspect arrested

CMFR/Philippines – The Court of Appeals denied on 14 March 2013 the motion for reconsideration of Sajid Islam U. Ampatuan, primary suspect in the 2009 Ampatuan Massacre and son of former governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., to be excluded from prosecution.

On 23 November 2009, 58 people including 32 journalists and media workers were killed in a single incident of election-related violence in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province.

One hundred ninety-seven people, including Sajid Islam, Andal Sr., and other members of the Ampatuan clan, are accused of planning and carrying out the massacre. Only 109 are in custody.

In a three-page decision, the Court of Appeals said Sajid Islam’s arguments were a “mere rehash of the allegations” in his original petition that the Court had already denied on 10 September 2013.

Meanwhile, police in Cotabato City, some 30 kilometers northeast of Ampatuan town, reported on 24 March 2014 that they have another suspect in custody.

According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Cotabato City police, Khominie Inggo, a member of a government militia unit under the control of the Ampatuans when the massacre occurred, surrendered to police officers who had surrounded his home in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, some 15 kilometers northwest of Ampatuan town.

There was a PHP250,000 (some USD5,500) reward for Inggo’s arrest.

The Cotabato CIDG said it recovered firearms in Inggo’s residence and will turn him over to the Court after interrogation.