“That is a new case, a totally different case and we can consider them, or whoever, it is Zaldy Ampatuan or Lintang Bedol. It would depend on the extent of their participation, “ De Lima said a day after Zaldy and former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol said in separate interviews with ABS-CBN’s Anthony Taberna where they dangled information everybody knew about cheating in the 2004 and 2007 elections. Nothing in the published reports, though, directly implicates Gloria Arroyo.
De Lima also echoed Malacañang’s assurance that Zaldy will not be considered state witness in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre that killed at least 58 persons, 32 of them journalists. This was despite the offer of Zaldy that he was willing to turn his back on his father, Andal Ampatuan Sr, identified by witnesses as the mastermind of the gruesome murders, and his brother, Andal Jr, identified as the triggerman.
Zaldy is one of the 79 people detained for the massacre. He has been working to be dropped from the case and he almost succeeded during Arroyo’s administration aborted only by strong public protest.
The long rumored connection of the Ampatuans with Bedol, wanted by the Commission on Election since 2007 in connection with poll fraud investigation, has been confirmed with their obviously orchestrated TV interviews. “Zaldy is the handler of Bedol,” a Malacañang official said.
Both Zaldy and Bedol said they are not offering themselves as state witnesses. What they want is to be under the Witness Protection Program.
Based on the statement of De Lima and other officials of the Aquino government, it looks like Zaldy and Bedol will get it. They will get their freedom. They will not be made to pay for their crimes against the Filipino people.
Here are the rights and benefits of a person under the WPP (R.A. 6981)
:
“ (a) To have a secure housing facility until he has testified or until the threat, intimidation or harassment disappears or is reduced to a manageable or tolerable level. When the circumstances warrant, the Witness shall be entitled to relocation and/or change of personal identity at the expense of the Program. This right may be extended to any member of the family of the Witness within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.
“ (b) The Department shall, whenever practicable, assist the Witness in obtaining a means of livelihood. The Witness relocated pursuant to this Act shall be entitled to a financial assistance from the Program for his support and that of his family in such amount and for such duration as the Department shall determine.
“ (c) In no case shall the Witness be removed from or demoted in work because or on account of his absences due to his attendance before any judicial or quasi-judicial body or investigating authority, including legislative investigations in aid of legislation, in going thereto and in coming therefrom: Provided, That his employer is notified through a certification issued by the Department, within a period of thirty (30) days from the date when the Witness last reported for work: Provided, further, That in the case of prolonged transfer or permanent relocation, the employer shall have the option to remove the Witness from employment after securing clearance from the Department upon the recommendation of the Department of Labor and Employment.
“Any Witness who failed to report for work because of witness duty shall be paid his equivalent salaries or wages corresponding to the number of days of absence occasioned by the Program. For purposes of this Act, any fraction of a day shall constitute a full day salary or wage. This provision shall be applicable to both government and private employees.
“ (d) To be provided with reasonable traveling expenses and subsistence allowance by the Program in such amount as the Department may determine for his attendance in the court, body or authority where his testimony is required, as well as conferences and interviews with prosecutors or investigating officers.
“ (e) To be provided with free medical treatment, hospitalization and medicines for any injury or illness incurred or suffered by him because of witness duty in any private or public hospital, clinic, or at any such institution at the expense of the Program.
“ (f) If a Witness is killed, because of his participation in the Program, his heirs shall be entitled to a burial benefit of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) from the Program exclusive of any other similar benefits he may be entitled to under other existing laws.
“(g) In case of death or permanent incapacity, his minor or dependent children shall be entitled to free education, from primary to college level in any state, or private school, college or university as may be determined by the Department, as long as they shall have qualified thereto.”
Once Zaldy is under the WPP’s custody (in connection with the possible case of election fraud against officials of the Arroyo administration), anyone who tries to get custody of him for another case would be criminally liable. How is he then going to be tried for his role in the Maguindanao massacre.
So Zaldy can stay in a safehouse (it can be in one of his mansions), protected by government agents paid for by the Filipino people. Take note that last Friday, the prison doctor recommended “prison arrest” for him.
Andal, Sr, who is in his late 70’s ,is expected to apply for release for humanitarian reason when he reaches 80.
As of now, they are willing to sacrifice Andal Jr. But don’t bet on it. Later on he might plead insanity.
As to Bedol, it looks like he is part of package deal with Zaldy. A stinking package deal.
I believe the current administration should be very careful at this point as some coordinated moves seem to be in motion, we have this Navy colonel coming out with his version of withdrawal of support video, Lagman is attacking the GOCC measure, and now jokers.
Where are our hard hitters, Trillanes and Lacson? Its time they step out to bat, never mind Honasan.
Marami pang ex-Generals na nasasangkot sa mga katiwalian na puwedeng kasama rin nitong si Generoso. At hindi lang yan maraming datung na kinupit nitong mag-asawang magnanakaw na ipapamudmud para dito sa pag-aaklas. Malay mo kaya maraming absent itong si Mikey ay dahil kasama siya sa nagpa-plano.
Kaya kung tutulog tulog itong pagong na Pangulo niyo …. pupulutin siya sa kangkongan.
Please do not read the law in isolation of the facts.
The rights and benefits refer to an ordinary witness, not one who is accused in another case. So those rights to not inhere in Zaldy Ampatuan, because he has been arrested, and is detained by court order for that criminal charge. There is no way he can be released. It would be a different issue if the only indictment or possible indictment against him were the electoral offenses.
If ever, the DOJ can only offer him protection, which may be detention in a secure facility, or even detention in an undisclosed detention facility, so that he will not be suicided by those who may wish to silence him.
He could also be detained in a military facility, or some other place, to ensure his safety.
There is the observation that he has not provided details. Fine. Then interview him, to determine if he can provide details that would be useful. But one cannot embark on knee jerk reactions; that is not helpful.
True, he may be a monster; but so was Sammy the Bull Gravano. He did participate in some murders, but the Feds saw fit to offer Sammy protection, and it nailed the Capo di Tutti Capi.
Calma lang. Huwag puro damdamin. Zaldy may be locked up on the basis of the Maguindanao massacre, while being used for the electoral crimes.
#1, noong tinatalakay sa senate hearing ang pagamit ng inteligence fund ng PCSO, katakatakang wala si Sen Lacson.. samantalang sya dapat ang nandon dahil forte nya ang usapin sa “intelligence”…. mukhang may mas malaking tinatrabaho si Lacson… sya ngayon ang may hawak ng National Defense and Security Committee na hawak ni Honasan dati… mabuti na lang…
tuso ang mga magnanakaw at kriminal, natural lang na manghihingi ng deal o may kapalit ang pagbibigay nila ng testimonya laban kay gloria… thats expected… may tiwala ako na aaksyon ang gobyerno at mas mangingibabaw ang interest ng bayan… yan mas importante…
OFF TOPIC: Oust Noynoy Movement, Col. Generoso Mariano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zOWrWDIDg&feature=related
Post it on your FB
ooopppsss, nalimutan ko, maka noynoy pala itong blog na to.
hahahahahhaha,,,,,,
sipain na yang pekeng presidente ninyo at sinto-sintong daan
Sabi ng Koronel:
“…Huwag na tayong magpapaloko sa mga nangangakong sinungaling. Huwag na po tayong pagamit para labanan ang kapwa natin Pilipino sa Mindanao. Huwag na po tayong maniwala sa mga estatistikong gawagawa lamang na umuunlad ang ating bansa habang parami nang parami ang nagugutom. Ipaglaban po natin ang karapatang mabuhay at ang maunlad na kinabukasan ng ating kabataan. Ang hangad nating mabuhay ay base sa katotohanan, sa katarungan, sa kapayapaan, at sa kaunlaran. Let us, once and for all, build a nation based on truth….”
Salamat sa link. Sa wakas, meron na palang matapang na gustong magpatalsik kay Aling Gloria! Mabuhay ka, Koronel!!!
…Teka, wala na si Aling Gloria sa Malakanyang, ‘di ba?
Stinking package deal talaga! But, tama rin si SAx, huwag tayong padalos dalos ng paghsga. Yung mga insiders ang maraming alam sa krimen. Let us see what these two criminals can offer. Pagaralan ng mabuti.
The pandak has a truck load of money for those who will de-stabilize Pnoy. Yan ang doctorate degree niya. Aided by her hoodlum hubby, they plotted to oust Erap. That was when wala pa siyang pera. Ngayong marami na siyang nakakam (she just came back from Europe- nagwithdraw ng mga pangsuhol?) so maraming pangbayad ng mga mag-dedestabilize kay Pnoy. Watch out for this scheming bitch! She and her hubby are not done yet with the Philippine politics and machinery.
#1 and 8, It’s better to ignore that Mariano thing. We learned of that three weeks ago but we found out that so called “group” behind him is composed of two people who have no credibility.
Ito namang some reporters with wire agencies, wala sigurong ma-file na story, pinatulan.
let’s not forget who made humongous monsters out of the ampatuans because of her immense power…and overflowing cash…during her time.
it’s a quid pro quo thing then…esp. when the ampatuans coddled the “great” garci who’s in hiding and believed to be abroad in the aftermath of “hello, garci” revelation.
using zaldy…and “bintang ledol” for that matter…may mean getting the biggest “midget” of a fish in the end!
Zaldy and Bedol: a stinking package deal.
Yes, the smell reeks of opportunism. Everyone knows what it means to these characters. They want to be absolved from any liability on their past criminal activities. The face of freedom is to never step inside a prison cell and a lifetime security despite crimes committed against the government and the people.
It’s so disappointing that this government makes deals with devils to get devils. Why does the government can’t build a case of their own so that nobody will get off the hook as easily as these two baddies? They always boast that they have all the evidence to convict Gloria, so why make deals?
Is this all what this government has to offer? To wheel and deal? To me, making deals is another form of corruption and not compatible with its mantra of straight path.
Ah but it’s Noynoy’s governing style, it’s always the short cut way to get what he wants even if criminals are to go scot-free, which reminds me of the Merci case, another stinking deal entered to by Noynoy.
If I were the president, I’ll do what I always do – look at the bottomline. In terms of political capital or value, Gloria is the ultimate price and putting her in jail is the ultimate example we must put forward as a strong statement that we want to stamp out corruption, all these other cases, yes even the massacre can be written off, full of drama, noise, and painful to say the least but he must have a main objective and prioritize.
You can’t please everybody, someone, somewhere, will always push his/her own standard of morality but at times bold moves have to be made to win.
Of course its just me, I won’t be a good politician for sure because I don’t listen to other people once I’m locked in someone’s jugular – go in for the kill, no mercy!
Just do what you need to win this Mr. President, don’t mind the losers, at least in the end, you can sing “I did it my way.”
florry,
with wishy washy thinking like that, i bet you’re used to losing 🙂
Jug,
it seemed I broke your heart again with my “hit” at Noynoy and caused you to “cry” and spent sleepless nights.
Be a man and grow up and learn how to accept criticism; blind loyalty, kissing foot prints and “fan-a-ticism” does not help shape a country, but promotes abusive governments.
# 13
“I’ll do what I always do – look at the bottomline”
Jug baka palaging looking at somebody’s (girl’s) bottom. 😉