Mangudadatu shows 'proof' of VIP treatment for Ampatuans

After being barred from conducting a surprise visit to the detention facility where prominent members of the Ampatuan clan linked to the Maguindanao massacre are being detained, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu showed to media pictures he claimed would prove that the suspects are given special treatment while in detention. Members of families of massacre victims led by Mangudadatu trooped to the Quezon City Jail Annex in Taguig City Thursday morning to check on reports the Ampatuans are getting special treatment. But Mangudadatu's group was stopped by a jail officer upon orders from jail warden Chief Inspector Glennford Valdepeñas. Frustrated, Mangduadatu said he was left with no choice but to reveal to the public evidence that would prove the Ampatuans are getting special treatment. He then produced a silver flash drive and showed its contents to media. "USB [Universal Serial Bus] flash drive lang ang katapat ng BJMP [Bureau of Jail Management and Penology]!" he said. The flash drive, which the governor said came from a reliable source, contained 38 photographs showing, among others, Andal Sr, clad in a blue shirt and sitting on a chair outside the building that houses the clan members' detention cell. In one picture, he was beside a woman who seemed to be using a cellular phone, which is supposedly prohibited inside the detention facility. Other pictures also showed several black sports utility vehicles arriving there. Mangudadatu said he also has video footage inside the BJMP compound showing special treatment for the Ampatuans. Moreover, he claimed the Ampatuans would have the closed-circuit television cameras taken out whenever the detained clan members go out of their detention cell, and would have the CCTV monitors re-installed after they have returned. "Baka lumabas dito na mas sobra pa ito kay Leviste," said Mangudadatu, referring to former Batangas Gov. Antonio Leviste, who was able to slip out from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, where he has been detained since he was convicted of homicide in January 2009. Verbal tussle Tension gripped the Quezon City Jail Annex when relatives of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre arrived at the facility for a surprise inspection and engaged a jail personnel in a verbal tussle. Mangudadatu, whose wife perished in the carnage, members of the families of the 57 victims and their lawyers tried going up to the detention cells of the Ampatuans but they were stopped. Mangudadatu insisted the group has secured permission from the BJMP and said the group should be allowed to check on reports that Ampatuan Sr and other detained clan members are getting special treatment. A jail personnel, speaking on behalf of Valdepeñas, said the warden would only allow one legal counsel from both camps to conduct the surprise visit. None of the victims or prosecution lawyers were allowed to enter Valdepeñas office to speak to him. Private prosecutor Gemma Oquendo, representing her father and sister who were both killed in the massacre, objected to the suggestion saying, "Bakit isa lang ang papapasukin? 57 na tao ang pinatay, so dapat lahat kami payagang makita ang kulungan." While the victims and the jail personnel were negotiating the terms of the surprise visit, defense lawyer Arnel Manaloto tried to slip past the group and turned towards Valdepeñas' office. Mangudadatu's brother, Khadafeh, however noticed Manaloto and stopped him from even opening the door of the office. "Atty Manoloto, bakit ang bilis mo makapasok diyan sa office, kami ay hindi? Ang galing ah, parang bahay mo lang yang pupuntahan mo," Khadafeh said in a raised voice. Governor Esmael backed up his brother, saying: "Hindi lang kasi iyan defense lawyer eh. Alaga din yan ng mga Ampatuan. Parang anak na yan ng mga Ampatuan." Manaloto snapped back at the Mangudadatu brothers saying, "Wala po tayong bastusan. Hindi ko naman po kayo kinakausap Let's be civil." On the other hand, private prosecutor Harry Roque said the "conditions" set by Valdepeñas were "unreasonable, unacceptable and tantamount to a denial." Roque said the fact that it was taking the jail warden too long before he allows victims to carry out the surprise visit only meant "they were hiding something from us." Taking pictures During the verbal tussle outside Valdepeñas office, relatives of the massacre victims noticed that a BJMP official was taking their photographs the entire time. "Sino nag-order sa iyo na kumuha ng pictures namin? Ganyan ba ang rules dito? Bakit niyo kami kinukunan ng picture?" said Juliet Evardo, mother of slain UNTV editor Jolito Evardo. The photographer said she was a part of the BJMP community relations service (CRS) merely documenting the incident. Before the victims' relatives arrived for the surprise visit, BJMP director Rosendo Dial already dropped by the facility earlier on Thursday, also to conduct his own inspection. Andal Sr at a hotel For his part, lawyer Roque also told reporters that two of his lawyer friends had sent him text messages telling him they saw Andal Sr having a meal at the Sofitel in Pasay City. "Sabi pa nga nung lawyer dun sa kasama niya, 'Huwag mo tignan si Andal Sr. Hindi tinitingnan iyan sa Mindanao.'" Roque said he has already forwarded the text messages to Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to verify the reports of Andal Sr's sighting. "But I haven't heard from him [Robredo] since." — LBG, GMA News