Police placed on alert to prevent revenge of kin of slain witness' uncle

AMPATUAN, Maguindanao , Philippines  – The police yesterday mobilized dozens of operatives to prevent possible retaliations by relatives of the slain uncle of the vice mayor here who is a key witness against members of the Ampatuan clan implicated in the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in a nearby hinterland.

Superintendent Alex Lineses, director of Maguindanao police, said the slain datu, Mohamadisa Sangki, brother of the mayor here, Zacaria, was buried Wednesday at a family graveyard near the town proper.

Sangki’s nephew, Razul, the vice mayor here, is one of several witnesses helping prosecute detained Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect in last year’s mass murder of dozens in Barangay Salman, about two kilometers south of the town proper.

“Although they have assured the police they will allow the law to take its course in their quest for justice for their slain elder, we’re not taking chances. We have fielded policemen in strategic areas in Ampatuan and assigned security details to clan members vulnerable to possible attacks by adversaries,” Lineses said.

Suspects escaped

Sangki was riding his motorcycle when stopped by the three men for a brief chat along Sinsuat Avenue at the downtown area of Cotabato City Tuesday afternoon.

One of the suspects pulled out a knife, stabbed Sangki on the chest while another finished him off with a .45 caliber handgun as he fell from his motorcycle.

The suspects escaped using a motorcycle parked nearby. The crime scene is not far from the city’s Police Precinct I, which is manned by more than a dozen policemen.

Sangki, was pronounced dead on arrival by physicians at the nearby hospital where he was rushed by responding policemen and bystanders.

Sangki owned a store that sells exclusive parts of imported big motorcycles and off-road motocross bikes at the Rosary Heights District in Cotabato City.

The murder of Sangki was preceded by the repeated shelling with 60 MM mortars and 40 MM shoulder-fire grenade projectiles of the town proper of Ampatuan, including the surroundings of a village where other members of the Sangki clan reside, and the premises of a roadside gasoline station owned by the town mayor.

The Maguindanao police said gunmen, armed with M-203 rifles fitted with grenade launchers and vintage M-79, which can fire projectiles up to 300 meters, would crawl near the spot they are to shell, fire several rounds, and escape towards a nearby hinterland.

Relatives here of Sangki said they are certain his death is related to his nephew’s having stood as witness against the Ampatuans implicated in the Nov. 23 massacre in Barangay Salman here.

Lineses said they have initiated dialogues with leaders of the Sangki clan not to retaliate against anyone they suspect of having a hand in the murder of their elder in Cotabato City last Tuesday.