Captured suspect in Ampatuan house's burning confesses

MAGUINDANAO - Authorities are now in custody of a confessed arsonist responsible for last week’s burning of the house of key “Maguindanao massacre” suspect, Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Senior Superintendent Warlito Daus, director of the Bureau of Fire Protection in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said arson experts also found out that the cashiered suspect, Anwar Mangulamas, and at least three cohorts used gasoline in setting Ampatuan’s house on fire.

Authorities arrested Mangulamas on Thursday while gathering scrap metals at the burnt house of Ampatuan, located at the town proper of Shariff Aguak in the second district of Maguindanao.

Ampatuan, detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, Metro Manila for the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao Massacre, was mayor of Datu Unsay town and about two kilometers northeast of Shariff Aguak's town center.

Daus said Mangulamas eventually confessed to having burned Ampatuan’s house, along with three accomplices, Murad, Joe, and Japoy, all surnamed Madidis, after hauling appliances and air-conditioning units out.

The police official said police found a television set with detachable speakers from the house of one of the suspects, which they took from Ampatuan’s house.

Daus said criminal charges will be filed against Mangulamas and his companions, who managed to escape even before policemen and soldiers could raid their hideouts in the town proper of Shariff Aguak.