3 Ampatuans oppose prosecution evidence

MANILA, Philippines - Seven accused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, including three members of the Ampatuan clan, are opposing the prosecution panel’s formal offer of evidence against their respective bail petitions.

In separate comments filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, suspects Anwar Ampatuan, Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan and Sajid Islam Ampatuan maintained that they are innocent and asked the court to allow them to be released on bail.

They also asked to be exonerated in the cases filed against them in connection with the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre.

Anwar and Sajid Islam are sons of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., while Akmad is the nephew and son-in-law of the clan patriarch.

In addition to the Ampatuans, lawyer Paris Real also filed separate comments for suspects Bulatucan Omar Kayansang, Datutucon Malahuial Esmail, Nicomedes Amad Tolentino and Nasser Esmail.

The comments were filed almost two months after the prosecution panel submitted four sets of formal offer of evidence in opposition to the bail petition of 47 suspects in the massacre.

One set contains prosecution evidence opposing the bail petition of former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan, while another opposes the bail petition of Sajid Islam, Anwar, and Akmad.

The other sets opposed the bail pleas of 43 other accused, including 40 police officers who were tagged in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre.

The prosecution earlier submitted its formal offer of evidence in opposition to the bail petition of more than a dozen accused, including that of Andal Sr. and principal accused Andal Jr.

‘Miserably failed’

In the latest comments filed before the court, Anwar, Sajid Islam and Akmad all claimed that the prosecution panel “miserably failed” to prove that their evidence of guilt is strong.

Anwar and Akmad particularly opposed the sworn statements of Esmail Canapia, Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, Efren Macanas, Sukarno Badal, Senior Police Officer 1 Cixon Jayectin Kasan, and Lakmodin Saliao and dismissed them as “incredible, perjured, biased (and) irrelevant” documents used by the prosecution in an effort to establish the alleged conspiracy.

Sajid Islam, meanwhile, opposed the sworn statements of Noh Akil, Canapia, Diongon, Macanas, Badal, Kasan, and Saliao.

The suspects also opposed the other documents submitted by the prosecution on the basis that these were “hearsay, irrelevant and immaterial to the allegations in the information.”

Fifty-eight people, including 32 members of media, died in the massacre dubbed as the single worst incident for journalists in history.