The Philippine Online Chronicles

“Emissaries” of the Ampatuan clan allegedly tried to bribe some witnesses to the Maguindanao massacre by as much as P5 million in exchange for the witnesses' recantation of their testimonies in the multiple murder case.

This was revealed today by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima, who urged the said witnesses to file bribery charges against the once-powerful political clan.

De Lima also ordered the transfer of the witnesses from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame in Quezon City after receiving the bribery reports.

She also feared that the lives of the said witnesses are at risk since principal suspect Andal Ampatuan, Jr. is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa. Maguindanao massacre witness Suwaid Upham was earlier killed last June 14 by forces believed to be linked with the Ampatuans.

“There are reports that they can be accessed (by the Ampatuans), therefore they get harassed, intimidated, or there were attempts to entice them through foul means to recant their testimony,” De Lima said.

De Lima also reprimanded the PNP for not apprehending the people offering the bribe since a bribery attempt to one of the witnesses was reported to have been coursed through a police officer.

Allegations of Ampatuan bribing the DOJ spread last April, but former secretary Alberto Agra denied the allegations.

Several members of the Ampatuan clan are accused for murdering 57 people on 23 November 2009 due to an electoral dispute in Maguindanao.