Ampatuans still influential under Aquino — prosecutor

Even the Aquino administration does not seem to be resistant to the "influence" of the powerful Ampatuan clan, a prosecution lawyer in the Maguindanao massacre case said Tuesday. Private prosecutor Harry Roque, legal counsel for the families of 15 of the 57 victims, said this was based on the recent pronouncements of presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo regarding Zaldy Ampatuan’s intention to turn state witness. "I am dumbfounded with Robredo's and Lacierda's recent statements," Roque told GMA News Online. In separate statements, Lacierda and Robredo said the government is open to "assessing" Zaldy's testimony to find out if he has something new to offer to the case. "We condemn this well scripted Moro-Moro and express alarm at the fact that the Ampatuans remain influential even in this administration," Roque said. Roque also criticized Zaldy and his lawyers for making moves without informing the court hearing the case and the prosecution panel. He said Zaldy's camp had instead chosen to go directly either to the media or Malacañang. He said they only learned about Zaldy's plan to testify against his relatives in the news. "As usual, huli na naman kaming nakaalam. Dapat concerned parties muna ang sinasabihan." Roque said the second time that Zaldy's camp somehow bypassed the court and the prosecution was when it allegedly sent an emissary to President Benigno Aquino III to send fillers on his plan to testify without the aggrieved party's knowledge. Roque said only the Justice department, and not President Aquino, has the final say whether to accept Zaldy's testimony in the massacre case. — Mark D. Merueñas/KBK, GMA News