Bullets, grenades found in late Ampatuan patriarch's compound

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Police officers on Tuesday found rifle ammunition and two grenades in their search of the residential compound of the late Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr.

Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares of the Regional Police Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Wednesday the teams that searched the compound in the town proper of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao were armed with warrants from a court.

Mijares said personnel of PRO-BARMM had received reports that workers named Kamsa Salik, Kuryano Usop, Babai Mama Usop, Nasri Salik, Benhar Salik and Pangandaman Salik were keeping unlicensed guns inside the fenced compound where the immediate family of the former Maguindanao governor resides.

Ampatuan died more than two years ago of liver cancer while in detention for his alleged role in the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 “Maguindanao massacre,” the worst incident of election-related violence in the country's history.

The atrocity left 58 people dead, among them 32 media workers.

Mijares said none of the workers of the Ampatuan family named in the search warrants were in the compound when the raiding team arrived.

"Our intelligence units are now validating reports from residents of Shariff Aguak that they managed to escape just as the vehicles carrying the operatives reached the premises of the compound," Mijares said.

He said 240 rounds of 5.56-cal rifle ammunition and two rifle grenades were found in the Ampatuan residential compound.