Fortun back as lawyer in massacre case

MANILA, Philippines - The firm of former Ampatuan defense lawyer Philip Sigfrid Fortun will represent the incumbent Cotabato City administrator in the new set of murder charges filed in connection with the Maguindanao massacre case, The STAR learned yesterday.

The Fortun Narvasa & Salazar (FNS) law firm will represent city administrator and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) solicitor general Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi in the multiple murder complaint pending with the Maguindanao prosecutor’s office.

In a letter submitted to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, FNS lawyer Paulo Alberto Sicangco asked for copies of documents relating to the multiple murder case.

“We respectfully request the following documents to be used in the preparation of the appropriate pleadings in defense of our client,” said Sicangco in a March 4 letter addressed to Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes.

The letter – a copy of which obtained by The STAR – bore the letterhead of the FNS, which previously represented prominent members of the Ampatuan clan in the five-year trial.

The FNS represented primary accused former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his sons Andal Jr. and Zaldy until last year, when it filed its withdrawal of appearance without stating a reason.

Fortun later denied that they withdrew from the case because the Ampatuans can no longer pay for their services.

In a letter to the court, however, Andal Jr. revealed that they needed to find money to pay for the services of a new lawyer.

Lawyer Salvador Panelo took over the case for Andal Jr., while the Abbas law firm took over for the elder Ampatuan.

The Heffron Esguerra Dy & De Jesus law firm entered its appearance for Zaldy.

New wave

On Jan. 6, the massacre victims’ kin – led by Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu – filed a new set of multiple murder complaint against Guiani-Sayadi and 49 other individuals.

According to the complainants, the testimonies of several witnesses during the course of the trial at the Quezon City court revealed “that several other persons who were not charged were involved in the planning, execution and cover-up of what is known as the worst election-related massacre in the Philippine history.”

It was filed before Maguindanao provincial prosecutor Tocod Ronda.

Earlier, Guiani-Sayadi – sister of Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani, Jr. – said she is ready to answer accusations against her.

She was the ARMM solicitor-general under then regional governor Zaldy at the time of the massacre.

Fifty-eight people, including 32 media practitioners, died in the Nov. 23, 2009 bloodbath.