FILE PHOTO: (L-R) Ang ilan sa mga kaanak ng mga biktima ng Maguindanao Massacre at sina DOJ Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III at private prosecutor Atty. Nena Santos sa isa sa mga hearing kaugnay ng kasong ito. (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines — Hinikayat ng Malakanyang ang pamilya ng Maguindanao Massacre victims na hindi sakop ng witness proteksyon na sumailalim na upang ma-proteksiyunan sila ng pamahalaan.
Kaugnay ito sa lumabas na bribery issue sa ilang complainant at miyembro ng prosecution team na pinangungunhan ni Department of Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III.
Pahayag ni Presidential Spokesperson Sec. Edwin Lacierda, “There will be instances where for those who have not covered by Witness Protection Program, we would ask them and request them actually to join the program so that they would not be put in harms way. Of course, there’s a possibility that there will be attempts to bribe them.’
Nguni’t sa kabila ng mga ulat na ito, ayon sa kalihim, nagtitiwala sila na sapat na ang nailatag na ebidensya ng prosekusyon upang magkaroon ng conviction sa Ampatuan case.
“In so far evidence is concerned, in so far the witnesses testimonies are concerned, nandoon na. If they were bribed before, it’s because wala pa yung testinomies nila.”
Pinaboran rin ng Malakanyang ang ginawang paghahain sa Office of the Ombudsman ng graft and corruption complaint sa isang nagngangalang Jeremy Joson laban kay Baraan kaugnay ng umano’y suhulan sa kaso ng Maguindanao Massacre.
Dagdag pa ni Sec. Lacierda, “It abbreviates this whole hullabaloo on having an independent probe because the Ombudsman is independent. So since a complaint has been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, well and good. Let Undersecretary Francis Baraan defend himself. That is the proper forum where he can defend himself.” (Nel Maribojoc, UNTV News)