Kin of Maguindanao massacre victims mull options to speed up trial

The relatives of the Maguindanao massacre victims are eyeing at least two options to speed up the trial for the murder of 57 people, including 32 journalists, on November 23 last year. Private prosecution lawyer Nena Santos said they are mulling these two options: (1) to ask the Supreme Court to increase the number of hearings a week, and (2) to lighten the burden on presiding judge Jocelyn Reyes. “Depende sa haba ng testigo, pwede natin ma-maximize ang number ng testigo sa isang araw, o hihingi kami ng request sa Supreme Court na gawing dalawang araw ang paglilitis at i-unload si Judge Reyes ng iba niyang kaso," Santos said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (There are so many witnesses. We can try maximizing the testimonies of the witnesses, so as many witnesses can testify in one day. Or we can ask the Supreme Court to allow two hearings a week instead of just once a week. We can also ask the high court to unload Judge Reyes of some of her other cases.) At present, hearings on the Maguindanao massacre are conducted at the Metro Manila District Jail in Taguig City every Wednesday but the prosecution intends to ask for an increase in the number of hearings per week, Santos said. Earlier, a dwIZ report quoted Sen. Joker Arroyo as saying the trial could take two years because of the number of witnesses in the case. The prosecution has 227 witnesses while the defense has 373 witnesses. A total of 196 persons are charged with the November 23, 2009 multiple murder of 57 civilians. On the other hand, Santos declined to comment on the prospect of having former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo as a witness in the trial. She said the prosecutors have yet to discuss the matter because the private prosecutors involved in the case are under the supervision of their government counterparts. “Wala pong napag-usapan ang panel of prosecutors dahil kami ay private prosecutors. Anything we say or do kailangan muna i-clarify sa prosecutors (The prosecutors have not talked about it. Besides, we as private prosecutors have to clear our statements with the government’s prosecutors)," she said. Santos also mentioned that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima reportedly instructed them that only she, as the Justice chief, can speak on such matters. “Kami may utos galing kay Sec. de Lima sa bagay na ganyan siya lang pwede magsalita. Di ako magkukumento riyan at ayokong pangunahan si Sec. de Lima (We have instructions from de Lima that only she can talk on such matters. So we will not comment lest we preempt her)," she said. 'Damning' testimony of Ampatuan helper An international media group described as “damning" or "condemning" the testimony on Thursday of Lakmodin Saliao, an alleged longtime helper of the Ampatuan family. Saliao alleged that he was present during the meeting at the Ampatuan mansion when some family members and their supporters reportedly discussed plans to finish off their rival's entire convoy as they were on their way to file the certificate of candidacy for governor of Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu. The group "Reporters Sans Frontieres" (RSF, Reporters Without Borders) said Saliao's testimony showed that the murder was premeditated. “The testimony, given by a former family employee who attended a meeting at the home of the leading defendant’s father, then provincial governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., six days before the massacre, clearly indicated that the massacre was premeditated," the RSF said on its website. Saliao claimed that the former town mayor of Datu Unsay town, Andal Ampatuan Jr,. told his father they will “kill all of them when they come here." “It was evident from Saliao’s testimony that Andal Ampatuan Jr. made it clear to his father that he intended to kill all of the motorcade’s members," the RSF said. The lawyers for the accused asked for a 10-day adjournment but Judge Jocelyn Reyes rejected the request. –VVP, GMANews.TV