Hoping to start Andal Ampatuan Sr.'s trial with a bang, the prosecution is set to present on Thursday an "eyewitness" who will implicate the Ampatuan patriarch in the November 2009 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province.
THE PROSECUTION WITNESSES
- Lawyer Ricardo Diaz, chief of the NBI counter-terrorism unit - Ampatuan town Vice Mayor Rasul Sangki - Jerry Atanoso, a videographer from the Provincial Planning and Development Office of Sultan Kudarat who took video footage of the crime site - Mohammad Sangki, a Sangguniang Bayan official in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao - representatives from Smart and Globe Telecommunications, called on the stand to verify the time and date of the calls allegedly made by victim Bai Genalin “Gigi" Mangudadatu to her husband Esmael Mangudadatu - Then Buluan vice mayor and now Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu - Lakmodin Saliao, former househelp of the Ampatuans who claimed to have seen the clan plan the massacre - Norodin Mauyag, a farmer who saw Andal Jr and his men flag down the convoy at Sitio Malating, also in Barangay Salman - Akmad Abubakar Esmael, a corn farmer from Sitio Masalay who allegedly saw the slaughter - Khadafeh Mangudadatu, older brother of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu who claimed to have - Noh Akil, a councilman of Barangay Salman who saw checkpoints being set-up at Sitio Malating Suspect policemen - Police Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon - Police Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg - PO1 Rainer Ebus, who allegedly saw Ampatuan Jr and his men fire shots at the victims Medico-legal experts: - Dr. Ricardo Rodaje of the NBI - Chief Inspector Dean Cabrera of the PNP Crime Laboratory - Dr. Reynaldo Romero of the NBI - Chief Inspector Felino Brunia Jr, a medico-legal expert from the PNP Crime Laboratory - Dr. Rupert Sumbilon Jr of the NBI - Dr. Tomas Dimaandal of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police Relatives of the victims for the civil aspect of the case: - Ramonita Salaysay, widow of Mindanao Gazette's Napoleon Salaysay - Editha Tiamzon, mother of UNTV reporter Victor Nuñez - Noemi Parcon, widow of Joel Parcon, a publisher of a Mindanao-based magazine - Myrna Reblando, widow of Manila Bulletin's Alejandro Reblando
A member of the prosecution who spoke on condition of anonymity after Wednesday's trial said the witness has "personal knowledge" of the massacre — considered the worst election-related violent incident in the country and worst single attack on journalists anywhere. "We are preparing an eyewitness as our first witness against Andal Sr. who could positively identify him as among those behind the massacre," said the source. Fifty-seven people, including 32 journalists, were shot dead — some of them buried — in an isolated and hilly portion of Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town on Nov. 23, 2009. Members of the Ampatuan clan and their militiamen were charged for the attack. The source refused to identify the eyewitness, but hinted that the eyewitness has already testified in the previous massacre hearings and will just be recalled to take the witness stand anew.
Testimony The source refused to divulge the information that will be shared by the eyewitness during Thursday's trial. "We are not trying to create drama here. This is not a telenovela. But we will not present a witness if we think his or her testimony will not stand in court." In the one and a half years that the massacre trial has been ongoing, the prosecution has so far presented more than 30 witnesses, composed of civilian witnesses, expert witnesses, relatives of the victims, and several police officials. Of these witnesses, only one — long-time Ampatuan househelp Lakmodin Saliao — has positively identified Andal Sr. in the past hearings. Lakmodin claimed to be an "eyewitness" to the November 17 and 22, 2009 dinners when the supposed plot to attack the convoy that carried the victims was hatched. He said the dinners were attended by Andal Sr., his relatives, and supporters.
'Andal must appear' The prosecution source said whether Andal Sr. likes it or not, he has to appear on Thursday's proceedings because their first witness is considered an "eyewitness" and might require a positive identification. Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes earlier allowed Andal Sr. to skip the court proceedings except during three instances: 1) when a witness will identify him; 2) during promulgation; and 3) during "other instances that requires his presence as determined by the court." "If he fails to appear, we will ask the court to revoke Andal Sr.'s waiver of appearance. He has been staying too long inside his detention cell, he must come down and face the court," the source said. Andal Sr. and other accused in the grisly massacre are currently detained on the upper floors of the Quezon City Jail Annex inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Located on the building's ground floor is the make-shift court room of Solis-Reyes. So far, the first and only time that Andal Sr. showed up in Solis-Reyes' court was when he was arraigned on June 1. He entered a not guilty plea.
— KBK, GMA News 
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