Another Maguindanao massacre suspect nabbed

COTABATO CITY , Philippines  – Government operatives arrested another suspect in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao, a week after the arrest of a cohort near a hotel here.

Col. Alex Balutan, commanding officer of the 1st Marine Brigade, said Zacaria Akil, alleged henchman of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., was nabbed at a checkpoint here.

Balutan said Akil was under surveillance by Marine intelligence operatives and policemen from Region 12 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Balutan said Lt. Col. Noel Buncab, the newly-installed battalion commander of Marine Battalion Landing Team 7, has turned over Akil to ARMM’s Criminal Investigation Group. – John Unson