88th Maguindanao massacre suspect nabbed

Another suspect in the November 2009 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province was arrested in southern Philippines, bringing the total number of suspects in government custody to 88 with 107 more still at large. Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, deputy chief of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), said Nhorodin Macatimbol was arrested at around 11:42 a.m. Monday in Barangay Big Margus in Glan, Sarangani. Macatimbol, who uses the aliases Nhords Datumanong Ampatuan and Nhorodudin Calalong Amigos, was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court branch 221. The government has offered a P300,000 reward for his arrest. “He is now under the custody of Sarangani Provincial Police Office for proper disposition," Estipona said. Seized from the suspect were a cal. 38 revolver, several pieces of ammunition, and dried marijuana fruiting tops. Other accused in the massacre are members of the powerful Ampatuan clan, including its patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr., a former governor of Maguindanao, and his sons Andal Jr. and Zaldy. The three are already in government custody. The victims included 32 journalists and members of the Ampatuans’ rival clan, the Mangudadatus. The victims were on a convoy on their way to Shariff Aguak on Nov. 23, 2009 to file the candidacy papers of then Buluan vice mayor Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu when they were flagged down and subsequently killed by alleged private armies of the Ampatuans. Mangudadatu won as Maguindanao governor in the May 2010 elections. - KBK, GMA News