The Philippine Online Chronicles

Former Maguindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan cannot be a state witness in the ongoing Maguindanao massacre trial, Malacanang Palace says.

“There is no chance. Sinabi na rin po 'yan ni [Department of Justice] Secretary [Leila] de Lima. But for other matters, kung totoo nga pong magsusubmit siya ng application for other matters, then the DOJ has to do the assessment and the evaluation of the application,” said Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Ampatuan did not file his application for the witness protection program (WPP) when he submitted his signed affidavit in July.

De Lima noted that Ampatuan's application for WPP in a separate case in connection with the alleged cheating that occurred during the 2007 elections will be evaluated “vis-a-vis with his status in the masssacre.”

“Assuming makumbinsi kami na pwede siyang bigyan o pwede siyang i-cover under the Witness Protection Program, there are ways to do it without necessarily 'freeing' him... now ang alam ko, segregated siya [from other accused] but in the same facility. So that would be sufficient,” De Lima said.

Early this year, Ampatuan said that former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had orchestrated mass election fraud during the 2007 midterm elections. According to Zaldy, former first gentleman Mike Arroyo ordered his father (Andal Sr.) to ensure zero votes for three opposition senatorial candidates, with eventual winner Sen. Miguel Zubiri benefitting from the “dagdag-bawas.” Zubiri resigned from his post last month.

However, Atty. Nena Santos, lawyer of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu commented, “I read the affidavit. Wala naman siyang nakita. Sinabi lang niya narinig niya. Sa panig namin, we will oppose any application for witness protection para sa election fraud na 'yan.”

Zaldy has been seeking to be excluded from the Maguindanao massacre charge list before the Court of Appeals. He has implicated his father, who allegedly masterminded the massacre, and his brother Andal Jr. who was reported to have been present during the killing of 57 people, mostly journalists.