Another Maguindanao massacre suspect falls

COTABATO CITY ,Philippines  – Authorities arrested Sunday night another member of the Ampatuan family wanted for the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao in 2009.

Ipeh Ampatuan was wounded in a bomb explosion that hit a motorboat he and his companions were riding in Liguasan Marsh Sunday night.

Ipeh was turned over by his mother, Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Ampatuan, to Col. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, commander of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade.

Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac, director of Maguindanao provincial police, said Ipeh sustained shrapnel wounds and was brought to the Notre Dame Hospital here. His companions were alleged members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“We are still gathering information on that mysterious bomb explosion. We, too, do not know whether it was an improvised explosive device that prematurely exploded or an accidental explosion of an anti-tank rocket. Our investigators could not get through the scene because it was inside a known MILF territory and covered by a ceasefire pact,” Pintac said.

Pintac said the operator of the boat was killed while a commander of the MILF identified as Dagadas was also injured.

”According to initial information reaching us, the injured rebels were brought to the MILF’s headquarters in Darapan (in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao) for medication. We’re still validating this information though,” Pintac said.

Major Gen. Rey Ardo, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said they would request the government’s ceasefire committee to investigate the incident.

“Army and police investigators could not get inside the areas covered by the ceasefire without prior coordination with the joint ceasefire committee,” Ardo said.

Three more members of the Ampatuan clan – Ipeh’s brother Uloh and their cousins Bahnarin and Saudi Jr., former mayors of Mamasapano and Datu Saudi towns, respectively, remain at large. – With Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude