NUJP welcomes Andal Sr. arraignment on Wednesday

Maguindanao massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Sr. is set to be arraigned on Wednesday, but another obstacle is plaguing the early resolution of the high-profile multiple murder case, a media group said Tuesday. In a statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) welcomed the arraignment of the Ampatuan clan patriarch almost one and a half year after the massacre of 57 people, including 32 journalists, in Maguindanao province. The group, however, noted that 21 other suspects, including other members of the Ampatuan clan, have yet to be arraigned. "In yet another hindrance to speed up the massacre trial, arraignment for the 21 others accused in the massacre, including five principally accused Ampatuans, are held in abeyance pending their respective motion for reconsideration," the NUJP said. In an order issued last Friday, Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 ordered the arraignment of Andal Sr. and another suspect, Nicomedes Tolentino a.k.a. Mohamad Datumanong, on June 1. The arraignment will take place at the makeshift courtroom just below the detention cells of the more than 80 detained suspects at the Quezon City Jail Annex inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. The judge, however, did not set a date for the arraignment of 21 other detained suspects in the massacre, including Andal Sr.'s sons Rizaldy and Sajid, because of their pending motions before the court. Of the seven prominent clan members accused for multiple murder and detained in Taguig City, only one — former Datu Unsay mayor and prime suspect Andal Jr. — has so far been arraigned. Ninety suspects have so far been arrested and 57 suspects — including Andal Jr. — have already pleaded not guilty to the crime. More than 100 more suspects remain at large more tha 500 days after the gruesome killings. — Mark D. Merueñas/KBK, GMA News