Rebellion raps readied vs Ampatuans; more arms found in martial law raid

By Mario J. Mallari

12/07/2009

The governme=nt yesterday said leaders of the Ampatuan clan detained after martial law was imposed in their southern stronghold would be charged with rebellion as more buried weapons were found.

The rebellion charges are separate from murder cases being prepared against them over last month’s election-linked massacre of 57 persons in their home province of Maguindanao, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said.

“We did not see them plotting against the government, we saw the deed done. They have usurped power from the government there,” she told a radio interview.

“This is not ordinary chaos taking place in one area, this has an armed component. And there is removal of allegiance from the Republic of the Philippines by the leaders of this group.”

President Arroyo imposed martial law in Maguindanao late on Friday in

an effort to rein in the Ampatuan family, a Muslim clan that has ruled the province for most of this decade with the backing of private armies and the suppport of President Arroyo’s ruling coalition.

The clan patriarch, Andal Ampatuan Sr., governor of Maguindanao since 2001, had installed many of his relatives into senior provincial posts.

Ampatuan Sr. and Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., plus another senior clan member, were expelled from the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party a few days after the massacre.

Explaining the martial law move, the government said large numbers of heavily armed gunmen loyal to the Ampatuans had threatened to attack security forces and civilians if the clan chiefs were taken into custody.

Ampatuan Sr. and other clan members are accused of being involved in the Nov. 23 massacre of a rival politician’s relatives, as well as journalists and other civilians.

One of Ampatuan’s sons, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., has already been charged with 25 counts of murder over the massacre.

Police last week filed indictments recommending the clan chief and other relatives also be charged.

Police allege Ampatuan Jr. and 100 gunmen shot dead the occupants of a convoy that included female relatives of his rival for the post of governor in next year’s elections, as well as about 30 journalists.

After martial law was imposed, thousands of soldiers and police poured into the provincial capital Shariff Aguak and other Maguindanao towns to bring the Ampatuans into custody, as well as their militiamen and weapons.

Ampatuan Sr. was among five clan members detained on Saturday.

The government also said it had detained more than 60 persons and seized a stunning array of weapons after imposing martial law in Maguindanao in the wake of a massacre.

A total of 62 persons were swept up in raids over the weekend, including 15 taken from a ranch allegedly owned by Ampatuan Sr. where the military found a cache of powerful rifles buried in a grassy area, police yesterday said.

The government alleged the Ampatuans had illegally amassed a stunning array of military hardware that it was prepared to use in the rebellion.

Thousands of soldiers and police poured into the provincial capital, Shariff Aguak, and other Maguindanao towns after martial law was imposed to detain the Ampatuans and their militiamen, as well as find the weapons.

On Saturday, security forces retrieved 340,000 rounds of ammunition, several assault rifles and a home-made armored car at a warehouse owned by the Ampatuans.

Yesterday, about more 40 firearms, including M-16 assault rifles, and dozens of boxes of ammunition were found on a property believed to be owned by Ampatuan Sr., the military said.

The weapons were buried on a grassy area about a kilometer from a police station on the outskirts of Shariff Aguak.

“We discovered these earlier from a lot allegedly owned by the Ampatuan,” Army 601st Brigade commander Col. Leo Ferrer said.

Just like those dug out from a pit in Shariff Aguak town, the recovered ammunition also bore markings of DND Arsenal and also Armscor or Arms Corp. of the Philippines, prompting Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado to call for an investigation.

Lt. Col. Michael Samson, AFP spokesman for Maguindanao, said the latest discovery in Datu Hoper town was made following information relayed to the authorities by concerned citizens about the firearms concealed in the mango plantation.

Samson, however, said there was no arrest made as the huts inside the ranch were already abandoned when combined military and police operatives swooped down on the place.

“It was a tipped off from concerned citizen to our intelligence operatives…and we are receiving a lot of reports and we are evaluating their accuracy, if they are reliable and accurate then we conduct operation,” Samson said.

He added the police and the military still have target areas in Maguindanao as part of the continuing crackdown against illegal firearms in the province.

“We still have possible location of arms cache but these searches will not be indiscriminate, it will be based on evidence and reliable information given by various sources,” he assured.

Ferrer added the Army has not encountered any armed resistance so far.

“But we are prepared to face these threats,” he stressed.

Top leaderships of the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) also assured the public the implementation of martial law in Maguindanao will not result to violations of human rights.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa also allayed fears of possible imposition of martial law throughout the country, saying “that is far from reality.”

“The basic constitutional rights of our citizens are still in place,” he stressed.

For his part, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado said they already issued rules of conduct in implementing martial law in the troubled Maguindanao province. PNA and AFP

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