Suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan attempted to distance himself from the Maguindanao massacre case and let his brother, Andal Ampatuan Jr., take the fall. This was according to Lakmodin Saliao, a longtime house help of the Ampatuan clan who testified against the powerful family during the resumption of the hearings on the massacre case on Wednesday. He said it crossed Zaldy’s mind to tell the authorities that it was Andal Jr. who masterminded the killing of 57 people — 32 of them journalists — who were part of an electoral convoy on November 23 last year. Saliao said Zaldy informed his father, Andal Sr., about this in a phone conversation. “Father, I will accept that it was only Unsay who did it because I am suffering. I cannot take it to be sent behind bars," Zaldy allegedly told his father over speaker phone in their native dialect.
Advice from lawyer Saliao said the clan patriarch advised Zaldy to seek advice from lawyer Sigfrid Fortun first. He said Fortun flew to Maguindanao on March 20 and told Zaldy to abandon his plan. “
Huwag na huwag po kayong umamin dahil kami na lang mga abugado ang bahala (Don’t ever admit to the crime and just allow us to handle the case)," Saliao quoted Fortun as saying to Zaldy. Fortun denied giving such an advice to the suspended ARMM governor. “It is impossible for Zaldy to listen to me because I was never his counsel for the criminal charge," he told reporters after Wednesday’s hearing. Fortun is representing Andal Sr. and Andal Jr., while Redemberto Villanueva represents Zaldy. “Ever since, he (Zaldy) has been trying to distance himself from the charges against his father and brother because he has a separate defense because he was in Manila at the time of the massacre," Fortun added. In his testimony in the previous hearing, Saliao said Zaldy was present in a meeting on November 22, 2009 where members of the Ampatuan clan planned to attack the ill-fated convoy led by relatives of Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu, their political opponent. He said Zaldy volunteered to go to Manila so that it would not be obvious that the family planned the massacre.
'They want me dead' During Wednesday’s hearing, Saliao told the court that he decided to turn against the Ampatuans, whom he served for 18 years, after he found out that the clan patriarch wanted him dead. Saliao said Andal Sr.’s daughter, Galema Ampatuan, told him on May 18 that her father was planning on having him killed apparently because he “already knew too much." The witness said he sought the help of then Major Randolph Cabangbang, former spokesman of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command, so that he could be placed under the custody of the Department of Justice. Saliao also revealed that Andal Jr. had also planned to have defense lawyer Philip Pantojan killed and make it appear that the Mangudadatus did it.
Call from a prisoner On May 19, Saliao said Andal Jr., who at that time was detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, called him to instruct him to meet up with Pantojan in Davao. “
Pumunta daw ako sa Davao at makipagkita kay Pantojan na manghingi ng pera. Tapos nandiyan lang sa gilid ang papatay, para mapagbintangan ang mga Mangudadatu," Saliao said. (I was asked to meet with Pantojan who was asking for money. Then somebody would attack him and make it appear that the Mangudadatu’s did it.) Saliao said he decided not to push through with his meeting with Pantojan because he was bothered by his conscience. Mangudadatu, who was present during the hearing, took delight over Saliaos latest revelations, adding that it was good the witness bared the Ampatuans plan to pin the blame on the Mangudadatus for the planned killing of Pantojan. “
Hindi naman kami mamamatay tao (We are not killers)," said Mangudadatu, who won as Maguindanao governor in the May 10 elections.
Andal Jr's camp refuses cross exam Fortun, meanwhile, refused to cross examine Saliao, saying the defense was not immediately informed that Saliao was to become the prosecution’s first witness. “His testimony came to us as matters of first impression. It is new to us," he said. Fortun said he asked the court to give the defense more time to prepare for their cross examination and review the transcript of Saliao’s testimonies. The hearing will resume on September 29.
- KBK, GMANews.TV 
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