MILF denies that witness ‘Jessie’ was in its custody

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied Sunday having in its custody a potential key witness in the November 23 massacre in Maguindanao province, who was reportedly killed on June 14. MILF military spokesman Von Al-Haq said Suwaib Upham has never been with the MILF 106th Base Command, the MILF said on its website Sunday. Upham, who claimed to be one of the seven designated gunmen in the massacre, was reportedly trying to apply for protection as witness to the crime when he was gunned down in Parang town in Maguindanao. (See: Kin of massacre victims lose 'biggest’ witness, counsel says) According to Al-Haq, the 106th Base Command is not in Parang but has jurisdiction over the towns of Sultan Sa Barongis, Ampatuan, Shariff Aguak, Isulan, Esperanza, and other nearby towns. Also, he said the real family name of the victim is Dalanda, not Upham, and his father’s family name is Klikaw Dido of Libutan, Mamasapano town, while his mother’s name is Sanima Dalanda. Al-Haq added that the victim was staying with an old couple, who hail from Mamasapano, and who were also escaping from the dangerous life in that town. The MILF quoted a source who said Suwaib Dalanda was a member of the security escort of Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). "He took direct part in the massacre on November 23, 2009, but later wanted to become a state witness in order to be absolved of some of the crimes he committed," the MILF said. He escaped arrest and joined the group of Datu Kanor Ampatuan, who, with some 500 armed followers, are still in the hinterlands of Ampatuan, Shariff Aguak, and nearby towns, the MILF said. It also said the source also disclosed that the victim used “Upham" as his family name when he applied for work as a member of the security escort of Datu Zaldy to give him better chance of being taken in, because the Ampatuans and Uphams are close relatives by affinity. Al-Haq protested the police’s allegation that the victim died while in custody of the MILF, an allegation, that has “nasty" implications, he said. “This is grossly unfair; how we could take care of someone who owed blood debt to the people?" he asked.—JMA/JV, GMANews.TV