Massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. surrenders

(Last updated 2:01pm Nov 26) Three days after the mass murders that have shocked the world, primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., the mayor of Datu Unsay town, surrendered to authorities Thursday morning. Ampatuan is awaiting formal murder charges in General Santos City. The police also said they "rounded up" several local militia members who may have taken part in the bloodbath. “At this point, Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is a suspect," Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said in an interview on dzBB radio. His statement came three days after the horrific mass killing on Monday of civilians, including journalists and lawyers. Upon Ampatuan's arrival by helicopter at General Santos City airport at midday Thursday, he was briefly interviewed by GMA News reporter Jessica Soho about his involvement in the massacre. "Wala pong katotohanan yan madam, wala pong katotohanan yan," Ampatuan said. "Kaya po ako lumabas, para patunayan na di ako nagtatago at di po ako guilty," he continued. He was later seen in the VIP lounge of the airport joking around. Inquest proceedings at the airport will take place as soon as the Ampatuans' lawyer, Sigfrid Fortun, arrives. Fortun flew to Cotabato City Thursday morning and was fetched by helicopter for the trip to General Santos City. Formal charges of multiple murder are expected. Andal Jr. surrendered to Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak. Dureza accompanied him by helicopter to General Santos City where he was turned over to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera. Ampatuan is expected to be flown to Manila by the end of the day Thursday. At his surrender in Shariff Aguak, Andal Jr. was accompanied by his brother, Zaldy Ampatuan, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). GMA News’ Chino Gaston reported that Andal Jr.’s wife was seen crying and slumping to the ground when Andal Jr. submitted himself to Dureza. Other suspects rounded up PNP chief Verzosa said that the police have rounded up some suspects who are members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and civilian volunteer organization. “Meron tayong nakuha (We have taken into custody some people who are now) subject to investigation. Their firearms will be examined, their fingerprints will be compared with those we have taken in the crime scene," Verzosa said. At a press conference in Camp Crame, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno vowed that the government would exhaust all means to bring to justice all perpetrators of the mass slaughter. "This investigation will continue until we find and bring to justice all of those, in one way or another, may have been involved in the conduct of this heinous crime," Puno said. He added that inquest proceedings against all policemen involved in the brutal incident will be done in Manila. Provincial capitol Verzosa also said the police have secured the compound of the Maguindanao provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak, and the town hall in Ampatuan town, which has jurisdiction over the massacre site in Sitio Masalay in Barangay Salman. “May report na nagpuntahan sa kapitolyo ang mga suspek, that’s why we are securing the capitol. We will be conducting investigations of suspects and possible witnesses na makita sa lugar na yan (There were reports the suspects fled to the capitol to hide, that’s why we secured it. We will investigate suspects there, and interview possible witnesses as well)," he said. About a hundred armed men blocked a convoy led by the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu last Monday as they were on their way to Shariff Aguak town to file his certificate of candidacy for the gubernatorial post in the 2010 polls. At least 57 people were killed when the attackers fired on the civilians and buried many of them, including the vehicles, in an isolated hillside several kilometers from the highway, police said. Among those killed were Mangudadatu's wife Genalyn. In a previous interview, he recalled his last phone conversation with Genalyn, who allegedly said among the men who waylaid them was Mayor Ampatuan. Expelled from party The administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party on Wednesday night expelled three members of the powerful Ampatuan clan from its roster for their alleged involvement in the massacre. Ousted from the party were Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.; his brother, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan; and their father, former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. Sarangani governor Miguel Dominguez, the party's president, said they arrived at the decision during a meeting of the executive committee at around 8 p.m. Dominguez said the members of the committee "voted unanimously" to expel the Ampatuans. "This is a way to discipline the erring party members. What happened in Maguindanao was something nobody can really stomach," Dominguez told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. - Sophia Dedace/LG/YA/RSJ/HGS, GMANews.TV