SC assures security for court handling massacre case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday assured the security of court personnel in Mindanao handling the multiple murder charges against detained Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. in connection with the November 23 massacre in Maguindana province. Supreme Court spokesman lawyer Jose Midas Marquez said they adopted security measures as early as last week, even as they are studying a petition to transfer the case to Manila. "Gumawa tayo ng hakbang para siguraduhing patas ang magiging desisyon...Nakaalalay tayo sa hukom. Nakipag-ugnayan na tayo sa mga alagad ng batas para masigurong nasa mabuting kalagayan ang hukom (We are pulling out all stops to make sure the court arrives at a fair decision. We are securing the judge and court personnel. We have taken measures with law enforcement agencies to ensure their safety)," Marquez said in an interview on dzXL radio. Marquez's assurance came a day after Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said she and prosecutors in the case had been receiving "threats." On Tuesday, Devanadera said the threats came either through text messages or through messages relayed through a common acquaintance. The high court had assigned the case to Sultan Kudarat Judge Melanio Guerrero, who was earlier designated to the Cotabato Regional Trial Court Branch 15. At least 57 people were killed, 30 of them journalists, in the massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao last November 23. The Department of Justice had initially charged Andal Jr. with 25 counts of murder for the incident. [See: DOJ files 25 counts of murder vs Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.] Marquez said Chief Justice Reynato Puno has ordered an assessment of the courts in the area that might handle the case. "Ginawa natin agad, bago maihain ang kasong yan, naghanap tayo ng huwes na uupo sa Branch 15. Itinalaga natin ito noong Biyernes pa last week (What we did was before the charges were filed, we designated a judge to take over Branch 15)," he said. “We made sure the judge had no connections with either the Ampatuan or Mangudadatu clans. Our information is that this judge [referring to Guerrero] has integrity," he added. The judge previously assigned to Branch 15 is a father-in-law of one of the Ampatuans. Marquez said the high court is now studying Devanadera's petition to have the case moved to Metro Manila. He said Devanadera sent the petition initially by e-mail but sent a formal petition earlier this week to have the case moved to either Manila or Quezon City. "Ito ay pinag-aaralang mabuti ng Korte Suprema. Ayaw natin ma-violate ang rights of the accused. Pinag-aaralan nating mabuti paano maisaalang-alang ang karapatan ng akusado (The high court is studying this carefully. We do not want to violate the rights of the accused)," he said. Rival clans' bailiwicks secured In Mindanao, the military claimed it has secured the bailiwicks of the Ampatuan and Mangudadatu clans. Col. Jonathan Ponce, spokesman for the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said sufficient personnel are assigned to the territories of both sides. "Both clans, Mangudadatu at Ampatuan, ay binigyan natin ng seguridad. Parehas ang dami ng seguridad. Ayaw natin may ibang grupong magsamantala rito, lahat na security measures ginagawa natin (Both clans are being secured. We do not want any group to exploit the situation, so all security measures are being taken)," he said in a separate interview on dzXL. - LG/RSJ, GMANews.TV