'Dead' witness in Maguindanao massacre urged to come out

MANILA, Philippines - The lead prosecutor in the Maguindanao massacre case yesterday called on the man claiming to be the “dead potential witness” in the crime to come out in the open.

“Anybody can claim he is Alijol Ampatuan. But they should come out so our witnesses can identify him,” said Prosecutor Pete Medalle.

Medalle issued the challenge after a man claiming to be Alijol Ampatuan Jr. was interviewed over dxMS radio in Cotabato and belied reports that he was killed.

He admitted that his father, Alijol Sr., was killed two months ago but denied his death had something to do with the massacre case.

Private Prosecutor Nena Santos earlier confirmed that Alijol, a distant relative of the Ampatuan clan, was killed last February.

Santos said Alijol was identified in the police report as Menjie Mangulamas Ubpon, who was shot in Shariff Aguak public market by motorcycle-riding men.

According to Santos, Ubpon is also Alijol based on the identification made by Police Officer 3 Reiner Ebus, one of the accused in the massacre case.