Mayor Ampatuan kept guarded on Christmas Day

MANILA, Philippines - Security was tightened at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila following intelligence reports that partisans plan to spring Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao, the principal suspect in the killing of 57 people in Maguindanao last Nov. 23.

Regional Director Ricardo Diaz, NBI Counter Terrorism Unit chief, said they have received information that about 300 Maguindanaoans are billeted in hotels around the NBI headquarters.

These Maguindanaoans are being monitored to ensure that they cannot go near Ampatuan Jr., he added.

Diaz said all agents from the Investigation Regional Offices were ordered to beef up security for Ampatuan Jr.

They will reinforce agents at the NBI headquarters in Manila, he added.

Diaz said the “Watch Christmas Unsay NBI” will be effective during the holiday season.

“We go on shifts so that they cannot get Ampatuan from us,” he said.

Diaz said the NBI will ensure that Ampatuan Jr. will remain in their custody until he is moved to another detention facility.

“Kaya walang basta-basta makakalapit sa kanya kundi iyon lamang nasa list na nanggaling sa kanya. (So we don’t let anybody go near him except those on the list he submitted,” he said.

Ampatuan Jr. can still answer charges

Ampatuan Jr. can still submit his counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) despite his lawyer’s announcement that they would waive that right.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said Ampatuan Jr. can attend the preliminary investigation on Monday and submit his counter-affidavit.

“This is his third chance already to file counter-affidavit,” he said.

“We are giving him all the chances because the department respects rights under the Constitution of accused and respondents in all cases.”

Devanadera said Ampatuan Jr. was first given a chance to answer charges during inquest proceedings last Nov. 26 at the General Santos City airport after he had surrendered and was placed under arrest.

“During inquest, his lawyer already waived his right to submit counter-affidavit,” she said.

“But since we’re having the preliminary investigation anyway, he was given another chance. The hearing last Dec. 18 was his second.”

Devanadera denied that she has prejudged the case when she told the media that the government has strong evidence against the Ampatuans.

Her statement would not in any way affect the preliminary investigation as the panel of prosecutors handling the case vowed to resolved the case solely on merit, she added.

If Ampatuan Jr. still refused to answer the charges on Monday, he would still have the chance to submit its defense in court, Devanadera said.

Ampatuan kin hiding in Baguio

A member of the Ampatuan clan has fled his hometown in Lanao del Norte and sought refuge in Baguio City for fear that the media would expose his underground economic activities.

Gerry Ampatuan (not his real name) said the media can take revenge or “rido” on him by exposing his business of selling fake smuggled products and pirated DVD.

“The rido of the media is scary, we can get caught if we are exposed in media because of our line of work,” he said in halting Tagalog.

Other close relatives of the Ampatuans have also fled Maguindanao and the Lanao provinces even if they were not involved in the massacre for fear of rido, not only from the Mangudadatu clan but the scrutiny of media, Ampatuan said.

The revenge killings may be handed down to the next generation unless the feud is settled or justice has been given to the victim.

Baguio City is a favorite destination of the Ampatuans, who have close ties with a top city official, according to rumors among Muslim peddlers. — Sandy Araneta, Edu Punay, Perseus Echeminada