source: gmanews.tv

Datu Unsay town Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. has turned himself in to authorities after the Philippine National Police (PNP) tagged him as one of the suspects in the grisly massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, officials said Thursday.

“At this point, Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is a suspect," PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said in an interview on dzBB radio. His statement came three days after the killing of civilians, including several journalists and lawyers, that drew widespread condemnation from national and international groups.



Andal Jr. surrendered to Presidential adviser for Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak and was brought by helicopter to General Santos City where he will be handed over to Justice Sec. Agnes Devanadera. He is expected to be flown to Manila also on Thursday.

Verzosa added that the police have rounded up some suspects who are members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and civilian volunteer organization.

“Meron tayong nakuha (We have taken into custody some people who are now) subject to investigation. Their firearms will be examined, their fingerprints will be compared with those we have taken in the crime scene," Verzosa said.

Verzosa also said the police have secured the compound of the Maguindanao provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak, and the town hall in Ampatuan town, which has jurisdiction over the massacre site in Sitio Masalay in Barangay Salman.



“May report na nagpuntahan sa kapitolyo ang mga suspek, that’s why we are securing the capitol. We will be conducting investigation on suspects and possible witnesses na makita sa lugar na yan (There were reports the suspects fled to the capitol to hide, that’s why we secured it. We will investigate suspects there, and interview possible witnesses as well)," he said.

About a hundred armed men blocked a convoy led by the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu last Monday as they were on their way to Shariff Aguak town to file his certificate of candidacy for the gubernatorial post in the 2010 polls.

At least 57 people were killed when the attackers fired on the civilians and buried many of them, including the vehicles, on a remote hill several kilometers from the highway, police said.

Among those killed were Mangudadatu's wife Genalyn. In a previous interview, he recalled his last phone conversation with Genalyn, who allegedly said among the men who waylaid them was Mayor Ampatuan.

Ampatuan cousin

In a separate interview, Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan said his second cousin Andal Jr. has maintained his innocence in the unprecedented poll-related killings.



“Simula kahapon, kino-convince na ng family Ampatuan si (Andal Jr.) na mag-undergo ng voluntary submission sa due process of the law. We were trying to really make him appreciate the situation. He said that he is not guilty…Hinihintay na lang yung abogado niya mula sa Manila para ma-appease siya. Nagkaroon ng magandang resulta yung kaniyang desisyon," Zamzamin Ampatuan said in an interview on Unang Hirit.

The DOE undersecretary said his cousin has categorically denied any responsibility in the brutal killings. “Masinsinan ko siyang kinausap. Sinabi niya, hindi siya ang may kagagawan nito. Dapat tuloy-tuloy ang investigation. He said he is not guilty," Zamzamin said.

Zamzamin also downplayed the "warlord" label on his clan. “We can overcome this if the government is strong enough to secure its citizens," he said.

Expelled from party

The administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party on Wednesday night expelled three members of the powerful Ampatuan clan from its roster over their alleged involvement in the bloody massacre.

Ousted from the party were Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.; his brother, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan; and their father, former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

Sarangani governor Miguel Dominguez, the party's president, said they arrived at the decision during a meeting of the executive committee at around 8 p.m.

Dominguez said the members of the committee "voted unanimously" to expel the Ampatuans.

"This is a way to discipline the erring party members. What happened in Maguindanao was something nobody can really stomach," Dominguez told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. - Sophia Dedace/LG/YA, GMANews.TV

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