Manila, Philippines — The Maguindanao policeman who pointed to Andal Ampatuan Jr. as the leader of the massacre has recanted and now says it was the prosecution’s star witness who had led the armed men that stopped the convoy of the Mangudadatus before being shot to death.
In his affidavit of recantation, PO1 Anwar Masukat tagged the prosecution’s witness, Ampatuan town Vice Mayor Rasul Sangki as the leader of some 100 militia and other security personel who blocked the Mangudadatu convoy on Nov. 23, 2009.
Masukat said the first affidavit was signed under duress. “Realizing the affidavit did not contain my truthful statement, I adamantly refused to sign it. It was then that (SPO2 Larry Diaz) and (lawyer Armando Fabros) told me murder cases would be filed against me for the killing and they could not prevent that from happening unless I signed the counter-affidavit they had prepared,” he said.
Masukat’s new affidavit, as well as one executed earlier by Sangki’s sister, Amina Sangki Ampatuan, prompted Ampatuan’s lawyer, Sigfried Fortun, to ask the Department of Justice to include Rasul as a respondent in the multiple murder charges filed against other members of the Ampatuan family.
Amina, married to an Ampatuan clan member said in her affidavit that it was her father, Zacaria Sangki and Brother Rasul who had planned the massacre.
Fortun has asked Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera to include Zacaria and Rasul Sangki plus four others as respondents in the multiple murder case before the Department of Justice.