Andal Jr mowed down victims with K3 gun, witness tells CIDG

Police investigators are now searching for a Korean-made K3 light machine gun which a key witness says was used by Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. in executing victims en masse during the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. Investigators of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said they have also established the individual participation of each of the key suspects in the massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao, as search operations continue for more evidence that will establish an airtight case against the suspects. CIDG director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda said sworn statements of key witness PO1 Rainer Ebus reveal the relative positions of the suspects within the crime scene before, during and after the victims were gunned down.

In his statement, Ebus also identified Pagatin town Vice Mayor Datu Kanor Ampatuan as among those who shot the victims, along with other Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO) members and security escorts of the Ampatuans. Ebus was assigned with the Datu Unsay Municipal Police Station and detailed as a close-in security escort of Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. Other Ampatuans at checkpoint In his sworn statement, Ebus identified Mamasapano town mayor Bahnarin Ampatuan, Datu Ulo Ampatuan, Datu Ipi Ampatuan, Datu Harris Ampatuan, Datu Moning Ampatuan, and other armed CVO followers of the Ampatuans as present at the checkpoint where the victims were held. Ebus narrated in his statement that Ampatuan Jr. frisked the members of the Mangudadatu family and some members of the media who were stopped at a checkpoint in Ampatuan town on the fateful day of November 23, moments before the victims were driven to the nearby hills of Barangay Salman where they were gunned down. Ebus also narrated in detail the circumstances surrounding the massacre and how the victims were made to line up and then mowed down with a light machine gun by Ampatuan Jr. “Gamit ni Mayor Ampatuan sa pamamaril ng mga taong convoy ng pamilya Mangudadatu ay ang isang Baby Armalite na may M203 (grenade launcher) at nang ito ay mag-stuck-up ay pinalitan niya ito ng baril na K3," Ebus stated. (Ampatuan Jr. used a Baby Armalite with an M203 [grenade launcher] in shooting down the convoy of the Mangudadatus, and when it got stuck up, he replaced it with a K3 gun.) Ebus said other victims who attempted to run away were gunned down by the CVOs of Ampatuan Jr., while some female members of the Mangudadatu family were shot at close range inside their vehicles. Datu Kanor instructed backhoe operator After the shooting, Ebus said he saw Ampatuan Jr. leave the massacre scene, after which the backhoe used to bury the victims arrived. He said Datu Kanor was left at the scene giving instructions to the operator of the heavy equipment. Later in the afternoon, Ebus said they regrouped with Datu Unsay station officer-in charge-PO1 Abbey Guiadem and Andal Jr. in the hills of Shariff Aguak where they received instructions from the mayor. “Sinabihan kami ni Mayor Ampatuan Jr. na maghiwa-hiwalay muna at ‘wag munang magkita-kita (We were told by Mayor Ampatuan Jr. to disperse and not to see each other in the meantime)," Ebus said in his statement. From November 24 to November 26, Ebus said he just stayed in his barracks at the residence of Ampatuan Jr. in Shariff Aguak. Castañeda said a total of 187 suspects have been identified to be involved in the massacre, 25 of whom are now under custody. Another massacre weapon In other updates, forensic investigators have identified another possible weapon used to kill the massacre victims. A Colt M16 rifle with a defaced serial number tested positive in ballistics comparison test conducted by the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory. Citing reports from the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 12 in Central Mindanao, regional police chief Senior Superintendent Bienvenido Latag said the murder weapon was among the 17 firearms recovered by security forces in a search operation on December 7 at the back of the Ampatuan Municipal Hall in Maguindanao. Three spent cartridges of 5.56mm ammunition recovered from the crime scene were confirmed by laboratory tests as having been fired from the recovered M16 rifle. Follow-up operations are now underway to identify the owner of the gun and how it ended up in the weapons stockpile discovered by security forces at the back of the Ampatuan town hall. – Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV