Another suspect in the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town in November 23 was arrested in Maguindanao province on Monday afternoon, according to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police.
Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, deputy chief for operations of the ARMM police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, identified the suspect as Datu Jimmy Ampatuan.
He was arrested by joint elements of the regional police and the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion at Barangay Banaba in Datu Abdullah Sangki town at 5:20 p.m. Monday.
Datu Jimmy, who carries a bounty of P300,000, was apprehended by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC-RTC) Branch 221.
The arrested suspect is currently in the custody of the regional police, and is set to be turned over to the QC-RTC.
Datu Jimmy and 195 other suspects, mostly members and armed followers of the powerful Ampatuan clan, are facing 57 counts of murder for the gruesome mass killing last year in Datu Unsay town, allegedly led by former mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.
Of the 196 accused individuals, 76 have already been arrested and detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City and at the Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City. The remaining accused remain at large. Of those arrested, 15 are under trial and have all pleaded not guilty to all charges.—Mark D. Merueñas/JV,
