New public prosecutors debut in Ampatuan case

The new members of the prosecution team in the Maguindanao massacre trial made their debut on Wednesday in the high-profile case where among the accused were members of a powerful political family in Mindanao. Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, the new prosecutor tapped by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to take over the case, said personal issues, and not performance, were to blame for the removal of the original team of public prosecutors. “It goes beyond the issue of competence. There were really some personality issues," Baraan told reporters at the sidelines of Wednesday’s multiple murder trial at the Quezon City Hall of Justice. “May mga (There were) egos that got in the way." Aside from Baraan, Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Peter Medalle was also tapped to be a part of the prosecution team. Baraan said De Lima replaced Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and five other prosecutors to prevent “differences in strategy" among the prosecutors handling the case. He said the performance of Fadullon’s team was never an issue, as he considers Fadullon “competent" and that the case that he is inheriting is “very, very solid." “The old panel prepared the case very well before they handed it over to us. Masigasig sila kaya hindi talaga isyu ang performance (They were really hardworking so performance was really not an issue)," Baraan said. But in earlier interviews, De Lima admitted that the performance of Fadullon’s team was a factor for their removal from the case. De Lima had said that aside from sensing a rift between private and public prosecutors, she also thought Fadullon and his team lacked the “zeal and aggressiveness" in handling the murder case. Similarly, private prosecutor Nena Santos, the legal counsel for Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, had told GMA News Online that the performance of Fadullon’s team led to their removal from the case. Fadullon had denied that he and his team lacked aggressiveness in the case. Better relationship With personal conflicts already threshed out, Baraan assured the public that “internal dynamics" between private and public prosecutors will improve. “Magiging friendly at healthy na ang relationship (There will be friendly and healthy relationship)," he said. Baraan reiterated that the reshuffle would not in any way weaken or delay the case, noting that the presentation of witnesses is going “as scheduled." Since the hearings started in January 2010, the prosecution has so far presented over 20 witnesses composed of seven medico-legal experts, several eyewitnesses, and some relatives of the 57 slain individuals. Facing multiple murder charges are 196 people, including prominent members of the Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao. The victims, which included Mangudadatu’s wife and two sisters, were killed on Nov. 23, 2009 in what is regarded as the worst single-day, election-related violence in the Philippines. Mangudadatu on Wednesday welcomed De Lima’s decision and said he now felt “happier" with the new prosecutors. - KBK, GMA News