DOJ orders arrest of 189 massacre suspects

The Department of Justice ordered the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday to effect the swift arrest of 189 suspects in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre. Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said he issued the order to NBI director Nestor Mantaring after the warrants for the arrest of the 189 were issued earlier this week. "(Ang utos ko), pabilisin ang pag serve ng warrant na ito (I ordered him to ensure the serving of the arrest warrants)," Agra said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said he also instructed Mantaring to coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in serving the arrest warrants. At the same time, Agra said a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Taguig City was finally ready to accommodate the suspects, adding that he will inspect the place this Sunday. "This morning nakakuha tayo ng sulat from the PNP, ready na raw ang facilities sa BJMP, sa Bicutan. Doon gumawa tayo ng courtroom at detention facilities (This morning I received a letter from the PNP that the BJMP facility in Bicutan is ready. We will have a courtroom and detention facilities there)," he said. Suspects On Thursday, government charged with murder before a Quezon City court 196 members and supporters of the Ampatuan family for their alleged role in the massacre. Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes ordered the arrest of 189 of the 196 suspects who have remained at large. [See: Judge orders arrest of 189 Maguindanao massacre suspects] Seven of them are already detained: Former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., Zaldy Ampatuan, Akmad Ampatuan, Sajid Ampatuan, Anwar Ampatuan, Takpan Dilon and Esmael Canapia. Ampatuan Sr. is detained in Camp Panacan Hospital in Davao City; Zaldy, Akmad, Sajid, and Anwar are in Camp Lira in General Santos City; and Dilon and Canapia are detained in Camp Crame in Quezon City. Meanwhile, Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., prime suspect in last year's massacre, has been detained in a facility inside the NBI main headquarters in Manila. On the other hand, police asked the judge to order the transfer of 47 policemen implicated in the Maguindanao massacre from Camp Crame to the Metro Manila District Jail in Taguig. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV