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Soldier bares police attempt to cover up Maguindanao massacre


A soldier who was part of the team that first responded to the site of the Maguindanao massacre on Nov. 23, 2009 took the witness stand on Wednesday and testified on the alleged attempt by local policemen to cover up the crime.   Maj. Peter Navarro of the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion told the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 that his team responded to the site after they received information that there was “abduction” there.   However, when Navarro’s team reached a checkpoint at Sitio Malating in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town, Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, one of the policemen stationed there, told them no abduction occurred in the area.   Navarro identified the other people at the checkpoint as Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, SPO2 Badawi Bakal, Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg, and Takpan Dilon. He positively identified all of them in court.   Navarro said his team decided to return to their detachment where Corporal Army Zaldy Raymundo, militia commander in Sitio Masalay and also a prosecution witness, insisted on searching the village despite Dicay's claim that no abduction happened.   Navarro said they proceeded to a hilly potion of Sitio Masalay, where they discovered the bullet-riddled remains of the 57 massacre victims and the backhoe that was used to bury the bodies. He said the backhoe bore the name of then-Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.   While inspecting the area, Navarro said they were joined by some of the policemen from the checkpoint, including Diongon. He said he asked Diongon why he denied the abduction, but the policeman reportedly did not answer and instead slumped on the ground.   Some 60 local police officials are facing both administrative and multiple murder charges in connection with the massacre. Also charged were 12 prominent members of the Ampatuan clan, including Andal Sr. and his sons Andal Jr., Rizaldy, and Sajid. - KBK, GMA News

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