AMLC probe on Ampatuan wealth sought

A prosecution lawyer in the Maguindanao massacre case will ask the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to look into the sources of wealth of the powerful Ampatuan family, the clan implicated in the grisly carnage. This was in light of a witness’ testimony that clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. offered millions worth of bribe money to government officials to cover up the massacre of 57 people, 32 of them journalists, on November 23 last year. “They could not have earned that with their salaries as governors, mayors," said Harry Roque, who represents the families of 13 of the 57 massacre victims. In his testimony during the resumption of the multiple murder trial on Wednesday, longtime Ampatuan house help Lakmodin Saliao said Andal Sr. on March 11 ordered that money be sent to several individuals so that the Ampatuans would not be pinned in the rebellion charges that stemmed from the massacre. Those offered P10-million bribe included Jesus Dureza, the adviser on Mindanao affairs of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, according to Saliao. The others were former Maguindanao provincial police director Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay and fellow accused PO1 Rainer Ebus, who were asked to recant their sworn statements implicating Andal Sr.’s son, Andal Jr., in the killings. Saliao also said P20 million was offered to Maguindanao provincial board member and known Ampatuan ally Mike Midtambang for attending to the clan patriarch while he was under hospital arrest at Camp Panacan in Davao City. Even incumbent Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu, whose wife and two sisters were among those killed in the massacre, wanted to know where the Ampatuans got their money.

Mangudadatu, who was supposed to go up against Andal Jr. in the gubernatorial race last May 10, claimed that the clan patriarch “does not have any business (ventures)." “Pera iyan ng gobyerno (He used government money)," Mangudadatu said when asked on the possible source of the Ampatuans’ money. Andal Sr. was a former governor of Maguindanao while Andal Jr. was mayor of Datu Unsay town in the province. Another Ampatuan scion, Zaldy, who is also implicated in the killings, was a suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor. Roque said they would file administrative charges against the said Ampatuan members if it is proven that they used public funds to bribe police and government officials. Roque also said they are planning to file disbarment charges against defense lawyer Philip Pantojan and provincial solicitor general Cynthia Sayadi for allegedly conspiring with the Ampatuans to cover up the massacre. In his testimony, Saliao said Pantajon and Sayadi were among the people who suggested that Andal Sr. fake his sickness in order to evade arrest. Wednesday’s proceedings were reset to September 29 after defense lawyer Sigfrid Fortun requested that he be given more time to review Saliao’s testimony before cross examining him. Fortun also said that the prosecution can instead present its second witness while the defense reviews Saliao’s statements. The prosecution objected the suggestion, insisting they would not present another witness unless Saliao's testimony is “terminated" or cross-examined by the defense. Mangudadatu agreed with the prosecution lawyers to object Fortun’s request, saying presenting another witness while the first one is not yet being cross examined could work against the prosecution. “Gusto lang ng defense na malito (si Saliao) at magkaroon ng discrepancy. Para kapag hindi nagtugma ang testimony ng witnesses, ay puwedeng ma-technical (They are just trying to confuse Saliao so that they can resort to technicality once they stumble into a discrepancy in his testimony)," he said. - KBK, GMANews.TV