The Department of Justice has been urged to serve the arrest warrant against one of the principal witnesses against the 50 new suspects in the Maguindanao massacre case. The warrant was issued by the Cotabato City Regional Trial Court for the murder of a jail warden 17 years ago.
In their March 29, 2015 letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the family of slain jail warden Al-Khail Tangki Mamalangkay appealed to her to arrest former Mayor Akmad Ampatuan of Datu Salibo town.
De Lima earlier admitted that Akmad has been placed under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program being one of the principal witnesses against the batch of respondents in the Maguindanao massacre case now undergoing preliminary investigation before the DOJ.
Akmad is one of the accused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre case that left 57 people dead, most of them journalists.
The family informed De Lima that the former mayor was charged with murder before the Cotabato RTC, Branch 13, on January 27, 1999 and the case has since been archived due to the failure of police authorities to serve the arrest warrant issued against the accused.
A certification issued by branch clerk of court Abdul Buayan last February 2015 states that the warrant of arrest against Akmad remains enforceable.
“This is to certify that per record of the case, the warrant of arrest issued in this case dated September 24, 1999 against the accused is still valid and in existence as of today,” the court stated.
The Mamalangkay family led by the victim’s 80-year-old mother Tangli Mamalangkay said they are determined to seek justice for his son whom she said was murdered by the former mayor.
Tangli said that his son was able to execute a dying declaration pointing to Akmad as his assailant.
She stressed that the pieces of evidence against Akmad are overwhelming considering that his son’s stolen motorcycle was even found by authorities at his (Akmad’s) residence.
The complainant added that they have prodded authorities numerous times to serve the arrest warrant but no one dared to enforce it for fear of reprisal from Akmad who is known to be very influential in the province.
“Malakas at maimpluwensya si Akmad Ampatuan at kami na pamilya ng biktima ay walang magawa kung hindi hintayin ang pagkakataon na maaaring makamit naminang hustisyang matagal ng ipinagkait sa amin,” the Mamalangkay told De Lima.
According to them, De Lima’s decision to place Akmad under the WPP has somehow dampened their faith in the legal system.
The Mamalangkays said they are still hoping that de Lima would change her mind and instead help them get the justice they deserve.
Akmad is one of the principal witnesses in the complaints against 50 new suspects including 14 Ampatuans, four of which are incumbent mayors in Maguindanao, in connection with the Maguindanao massacre.
De Lima described Akmad as a “crucial witness” in the case against the new batch of Maguindanao massacre suspects.
The DOJ chief said she has already ordered the WPP office to file the appropriate manifestation and motion before the Cotabato Regional Trial Court to inform them that he is under government protection.
She said the government will assert its authority to place Akmad under its custody.