Former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan said that he is willing to testify against his own father Andal Sr. and brother Andal Jr. for the 2009 Maguinadanao M(–foul word(s) removed–)accre who killed 57 people. He signed an affidavit pointing his father and brother as the mastermind of the murders.
According to the interview of ABS-CBN, Zaldy said that he’s willing to be a state witness and asked Malacanang to give him security and his family.
“Willing po ako mag-testify, sabihin kahit sino man ang involved, magulang ko man o kapatid, at kahit sino man involved para sa ikakalutas ng problemang ito at pawang katotohanan lamang ang aking sasabihin. (I’m willing to testify and speak the truth, even if my testimony will involve my father and brother),” he said.
He also said that the information he had is from other witness because he himself is not involved to the m(–foul word(s) removed–)acre. Clearing things up and helping the court is his only motive for testifying.
While the families of the victims, see no point in him being a witness because they believe that Zaldy is one of the masterminds too as for Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who has lost his family to the m(–foul word(s) removed–)acre, firmly believes that it was just a strategy of Zaldy to avoid his sentenced.
“Strategy lang nila ‘yan. Susunod niyang ilalabas ‘yong iba pang miyembro ng kanilang pamilya hanggang maiwan na lang si Unsay (Andal Jr.),” he said. “Marami na kaming testigo na makapagsasabi ng katotohanan, ‘di na namin sya kailangan,” Mangudadatu added.
Furthermore, DOJ Secretary De Lima has given her thoughts pertaining to the issue that Zaldy saying he’s not involved in the crime is like contradicting the statement of their other witnesses. “We can’t give in to his demand…He will say he did not have any participation in the killings, but that is contrary to what our other witnesses said,” she said.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com