Defense attacks credibility of Ampatuan suspect-turned-witness

Policemen implicated in last year’s November 23 Ampatuan massacre are questioning the credibility of one of their fellow accused who had turned into a prosecution witness, citing inconsistencies and lies in his statements. Abdulkalim Askali, defense counsel for several policemen accused of participating in the carnage, claimed on Friday that Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg was lying when he said that Senior Superintendent Abusama Maguid, was the one who ordered the setting up of a checkpoint to block the electoral convoy led by members of the Mangudadatu family. Maguid was provincial police director in Maguindanao at the time of the massacre, which authorities have laid at the door of the Ampatuan clan that had long dominated the politics of the province. In his sworn affidavit submitted before the national police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Macaraeg said he overheard Maguid on November 23 instructing a subordinate, Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay: "Basta may na-receive kayong bomb threat at palabasin na false alarm ha [Just say you received a bomb threat, then later tell them it was a false alarm]." But Maguid could not have instructed his men that way since he knew little Tagalog, and would always give instructions in the Maguindanao language, Askali told reporters after the administrative hearing of the National Police Commission at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Askali also said if Maguid indeed gave the instructions in Maguindanaoan, Macaraeg could not have understood because the latter admits he does not know the language. Under cross examination, a visibly irked Macaraeg shot back after he was repeatedly asked what language Maguid used: "Oo nga po. Tagalog nga po [I said yes. He spoke in Tagalog]." "He is clearly lying. He is making those up," said Askali, adding that the only instruction Maguid gave to his men that day was to maintain peace and order in the area “since it was already the start of the filing of candidacies." Maguid also denied issuing election-related orders to his men on November 23, saying that he would give such orders several days before the filing of candidacy which fell on November 20 last year. The ill-fated Mangudadatu convoy included the wife and relatives of then gubernatorial candidate and Ampatuan rival Esmael Mangudadatu, as well as a number of supporters, lawyers, and 32 journalists. The team was headed for Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy of Esmael, who would later win as governor. The policemen were charged administratively before the Napolcom, on top of the multiple murder charges filed against some of them. Members of the powerful Ampatuan clan were also charged for allegedly masterminding the killings and mobilizing their private army. In earlier hearings, Macaraeg had already admitted he and his men were at the checkpoint when the killings happened but failed to stop the incident because the Ampatuans' private army was "more powerful" than the local police. But Askali wondered why Macaraeg knew so much about alleged preparations for the massacre when he himself had admitted to have just gone to the 1508th Police Provincial Mobile Group (PPMG) in Maguindanao on November 22, or barely a day before the killings. Macaraeg even admitted that he was not briefed about anything when he arrived at the checkpoint on November 22, and even on the next day — on the day of the massacre. Day-long hearing Meanwhile, the accused policemen have signaled that they want their administrative case resolved quickly, even if that meant holding day-long proceedings from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The three-man Napolcom ad hoc committee had earlier asked the defense if they agreed with the prosecution’s suggestion to extend hearing hours. Currently, hearings for the administrative charges are conducted only in the afternoon every week. The prosecution intends to present two witnesses, including resigned Maguindanao police director Senior Superintendent Alex Linesses, when the hearing resumes on September 17.—JV, GMANews.TV