PHILIPPINES: Local court defers bail hearing of Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Record ID: 781768

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Local court defers bail hearing of Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr.
  • Date: 11th February 2010
  • Summary: MASSACRE SITE
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVA1BMZNMLYLA0KBLXE36TDJJMS1
  • Story Text: A local Philippines court postpones the bail hearing of Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr.
    A local court in the Philippines on Wednesday (February 10) deferred the bail hearing for the key suspect of the Maguindanao massacre case.
    Charges had been filed against 197 other suspects and the Quezon City Regional Trial Court postponed the bail hearing of Andal Ampatuan Jr. till February 24 to give time to respective counsels of the accused to catch up with proceedings, local media reported.
    The hearing had been slated for February 17.
    Philippine prosecutors on Tuesday (February 9) filed murder charges against the patriarch of a powerful political clan with close ties to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and 196 others for the massacre of 57 people in the country's worst election-related violence.
    Andal Ampatuan Sr, father of Andal Ampatuan Jr., will face 57 counts of murder before a local court in Manila.
    His family ruled the poor and troubled southern Maguindanao province for nearly a decade, Twenty-five other members of his family, 65 soldiers and police officers, and 106 members of a civilian militia force were also charged for the murders at a hilly area in Maguindanao on November 23.
    Prosecution lawyers said they would not oppose the motion because this would help both parties proceed with the hearings with less obstacles.
    "It is really true that more information will be gathered against the many accused and we do not want the witnesses to give testimonies repeatedly, because to date, they have received numerous threats and intimidations," said lawyer Harry Roque, who represented families of journalist victims.
    Thirty local journalists, along with seven members of the Ampatuan's rival clan and 20 civilians, were attacked by about 100 armed men while on their way to witness the filing of nomination papers of a rival of the Ampatuans.
    The deaths heightened the Philippines' profile as one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The massacre has also stoked tensions ahead of elections in May.
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