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| Southeast Asia | |
| Gunmen arrived days before | |
| 2010-09-30 | |
[Straits Times] A WITNESS in the trial of the Philippines' worst political massacre testified on Wednesday that a powerful clan trucked in gunnies days ahead of the attack and warned locals to flee the coming bloodbath.
'Kanor told me and my neighbours, 'All those who have children must leave because when the Mangudadatus pass we will shoot them even if they are with soldiers,'' Mr Mauyag said. The Ampatuans are accused of abducting the victims at gunpoint, taking them to an isolated area and shooting them dead as part of a plan to stop a member of a rival clan, Esmael Mangudadatu, from running for Maguindanao governor. Mangudadatu's rival for office, Andal Ampatuan Jnr, along with 16 police officers are on trial in connection with the massacre, which left 32 journalists, two lawyers, as well as several of Mangudadatu's relatives dead. Andal Ampatuan Jnr's father Andal Ampatuan Snr, his uncle Kanor Ampatuan and three other detained members of the clan are among the 196 defendants. The other defendants include officers and members of the local police and government militia units, formed by the state as buffer forces against Mohammedan rebels but which the clan allegedly co-opted into becoming its private army. Mr Mauyag, whose testimony is scheduled to continue next Wednesday, said the first gunnies he saw three days before the massacre were local police and militia forces, along with three police cars parked outside the local mosque. Some of Kanor Ampatuan's men arrived later in the day and the following day, by which time they numbered at least 60, he said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |