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| Southeast Asia |
| Massacre suspects plead not guilty |
| 2010-07-29 |
| [Straits Times] THE main suspect in the massacre of 57 people in the southern Philippines, Andal Ampatuan Jr, and 17 of his followers on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the final murder charge in the case. "Nope. Nope. Wudn't us." The suspects had been arraigned earlier this year for the murder of 56 people on southern Mindanao island last November. The final case, the murder of a television reporter, was filed separately because the body was found after the other victims. 'Not guilty,' said Ampatuan, a former town mayor and part of a powerful political clan, told the court inside the Manila police base where he is being detained. He was handcuffed and under heavy guard as he was moved across the police base. Seventeen police officers and members of a local militia made similar pleas. The court deferred the arraignment of four other police officers who face administrative cases before the national police commission. Ampatuan's trial has been suspended since February, held up by defence motions including a fresh one seeking to disqualify the judge. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 "Nope. Nope. Wudn't us." "It wuz summun who thinks like us." |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-07-29 21:32 |