DOJ: Evidence links Ampatuan Sr. to massacre, looming rebellion

The Department of Justice on Monday said it already has pieces of evidence linking former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., the patriarch of the powerful Ampatuan clan, to the massacre of 57 people last November 23 and his role in the supposed looming rebellion in the province. Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said in a radio interview Monday that the evidence they have gathered so far links the Ampatuan patriarch to both crimes. "Ang pagkahuli e rebellion. Doon sa massacre meron ding nagdadawit kay Andal Sr. Ibig sabihin niyan, may witnesses na nagsasabing kasama siya doon sa pagmasaker. Dito sa kasong rebellion kasama rin siya dahil meron ding mga testigo regarding that (The patriarch was arrested for rebellion as well as for the November 23 massacre. We have witnesses linking him to both)," Devanadera said in an interview on dzXL radio. The Ampatuan patriarch’s possible involvement had surfaced almost immediately after the Nov. 23 massacre, after a backhoe of the Ampatuan municipal government was used in the crime. Devanadera, however, did not give added details on the witnesses who linked the elder Ampatuan to the massacre. Also, she said armed vehicles found in the Ampatuans’ areas were their own and not of the Philippine National Police. “In other words meron nang sariling gobyerno doon. Di lang binabalak pa, umiiral na yan. Akala mo ba susunod ang armado niyang grupo sa national government (In other words, they already have their own government there. The rebellion is not being planned. It is already in place. Do you think their armed groups will follow the national government)?" she said. She also said that as of Monday morning, there has been no decision yet on whether to bring the Ampatuan patriarch and others arrested during martial law last weekend to Manila. On the other hand, Devanadera said they are looking to charge at least 70 people for rebellion, based on the firearms and ammunition caches found in different areas in Maguindanao. “As far as the rebellion is concerned, I think we have arrested 70," she said. Mixed signals on martial law Malacañang and the Department of Justice have started giving mixed signals on the nature of the martial law over Maguindanao, at least on the aspect of what prompted it. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared martial law covering the province of Maguindanao effective 9 p.m. last December 4. But while Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said martial law stemmed from the massacre, Devanadera said it was because of a rebellion. “Sagot talaga yan sa cry for justice sa mga biktima ng Maguindanao massacre (It was the President’s response to the cry for justice of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre)," Remonde said in an interview on dzXL radio Monday. In press briefings on martial law since Saturday, Remonde has been saying Mrs. Arroyo took “this bold step in answer to the cry for justice of victims of the now infamous Maguindanao massacre." But Devanadera, in a separate interview on dzXL, said the basis for declaring martial law was a rebellion in the sense that the Ampatuans already had their own firearms and ammunition. “The basis for martial law is different. There is now an ongoing rebellion because the Ampatuans have their own armed groups," she said. She said the caches of weapons uncovered since Thursday last week were enough to arm at least one battalion. Sinister motive The Akbayan Party sees a sinister motive behind the imposition of marital law in Maguindanao, saying that filing rebellion charges against members of the Ampatuan clan may serve as smokescreen to acquit the powerful family blamed for masterminding the massacre. [See: Martial law maybe Arroyo’s way of acquitting the Ampatuans] Moreover, it said in a press conference on Sunday in Quezon City, that classifying the Ampatuans as “rebels" would only hamper their prosecution in connection with the massacre case. On the other hand, a political analyst sees another possible twist in the Maguindanao martial law story which, according to him, will eventually lead to Charter change (Chacha) and no-election scenario. Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said President Arroyo's imposition of martial rule could be a prelude to Chacha. “The joint congressional session to deliberate on the proclamation may be used as an opportunity for Cha-cha. Alam mo naman itong administrasyong ito, hangga’t mailulusot, lulusot (You know this administration, it will wriggle out in any way it could)," Casiple said in an interview with GMANews.TV Saturday night. - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV