No proof of VIP treatment for Ampatuans in GenSan — CIDG

Police investigators have found no proof of special treatment for four Ampatuan clan members detained in General Santos City for their alleged involvement in the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao last year. Senior Superintendent Pedro Austria, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 12, on Thursday said two local radio reporters had failed to substantiate their allegations that the four Ampatuans were receiving VIP treatment. "Ang aming initial findings, walang katotohanan na may VIP treatment (Our initial findings showed that there was never any VIP treatment for them)," Austria said in an interview on dzRH radio. Zaldy Ampatuan, the suspended governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, his brothers Anwar (Shariff Aguak mayor) and Sajid (former Maguindanao acting governor), and their cousin Akmad (Maguindanao vice mayor) are detained at the Camp Fermina Lira in General Santos City. The Philippine Daily Inquirer earlier reported that according to Bombo Radyo’s Salvador Galano and Joel Eduque, the four Ampatuans were being allowed to use mobile phones and even had catered meals while being held for rebellion charges. Galano and Eduque claimed seeing the Ampatuans sitting at a long table outside their detention cell last December 31. But in Thursday’s radio interview, Austria said Galano and Eduque’s sworn statements had contradicted the newspaper report. "(Nang tinanong ko sila kung) anong definition ng VIP treatment, di nila masabi. So [yung] kanilang allegations, pinalawak nila [na] VIP treatment (When I asked the two to define VIP treatment, they could not answer. So it is possible the two merely embellished their claims of VIP treatment)," Austria said.

The controversy stirred by the supposed VIP treatment prompted Austria to relieve Camp Fermina Lira officials Senior Inspector Jose Teody Condesa, SPO4 Alex Pedroso and SPO3 Emilio Militante. Following the claims, Austria said a double-layer security has been implemented at the CIDG facility where they are kept. "Their condition is okay. A PNP doctor checks on them, although private doctors are allowed to check on them as well," he said in Filipino. The supposed VIP treatment also prompted the PNP leadership to have the four Ampatuans transferred to the National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO) detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. PNP Spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the four Ampatuans would be transferred upon court orders. Andal Jr. off to QC jail? Also on Thursday, presidential chief legal counsel and former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez frowned on calls to transfer Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., principal suspect in the November 23 massacre, to the Quezon City Jail. Gonzalez said the transfer could compromise the safety of Andal Jr., who is heavily guarded at a detention facility at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila. "Even if one has been accused of a crime, he is still entitled to government protection. In the first place, he is not yet convicted. Secondly, someone like Ampatuan can be assaulted and killed inside a jail," he told dzXL in Filipino. During Andal Jr.’s trial for multiple murder last Tuesday, lawyer Harry Roque requested that the mayor be transferred to the Quezon City jail, just like any ordinary suspected criminal. Roque represents 10 of the 31 families of the massacred journalists. — with Sophia Dedace/RSJ/NPA, GMANews.TV