Ampatuan father and son, clueless on Mangudadatu slay try — lawyer

Maguindanao massacre suspects Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Andal Ampatuan Jr. are apparently still unaware of the bomb attack against Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu last Monday in Tacurong City. This was the claim Wednesday by lawyer Sigfrid Fortun, who acts as the two principal suspects' legal counsel in the murder trial. "My clients still do not know about the bombing. I will still inform them about it later," Fortun told reporters before the start of the proceedings at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Police investigators on Tuesday confirmed that the bomb planted inside a Kia sedan along the highway was meant for Mangudadatu. The bomb exploded and hit a passing black Toyota Fortuner owned by Maguindanao board member Datu Russman Sinsuat Sr. that was part of the Mangudadatu convoy. Sinsuat and a tricycle driver, who was also in the area at the time of the blast, were killed. PNP Region 12 head Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele earlier said they would be exploring all possible angles in the attack, including possible links, if any, to the Mangudadatus' rival clan, the Ampatuans. Investigators said they were still determining if the Kia sedan's owner, a certain Maureen Ella Macasindi, was connected to the Ampatuans. Politics, peace talks Still, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said the attack could have been motivated by a number of things from politics to the ongoing peace talks by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Asked for reaction on allegations that the family of his clients might have a hand in the deadly attack, Fortun said: "Politician siya [Mangudadatu], so marami talagang kaaway iyang ganyan." "Anyone can make allegations... It does not have any implication [on the case]," Fortun added. Andal Sr. and Andal Jr. are among 197 suspects facing multiple counts of murder for the Maguindanao massacre on Nov. 23, 2009 that left 57 people dead, including 32 journalists. — RSJ, GMA News