Massacre suspect seeks release after namesake’s arrest

MANILA, Philippines - A man arrested in connection with the Maguindanao massacre is asking the court to order his release from jail after authorities arrested another man carrying the same name.

Dexson Saptula (alias Rene Matute) asked Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes to take into account the recent arrest of another Saptula (alias Mohammad Adam), whom he claimed was the real person charged with multiple murder in relation to the Nov. 23, 2009 incident.

In a two-page manifestation released yesterday, public attorney Laguindab Marohombsar said case records show his client was never identified by the defense as Dexson Saptula.

“Further, after the termination of the pre-trial, Rene Matute was never pointed to and identified by any of the prosecution witnesses as the accused Dexson Saptula,” the lawyer added.

The issue came up after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CIDU-ARMM) arrested Adam in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao on Nov. 9.

Superintendent Joe Wilson Denamarca of the CIDU-ARMM said Adam was identified by two civilians as the person charged for the massacre.

But upon the submission of the return of arrest warrant to the court, it was learned that another Saptula (Matute) was already in the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Records show that Matute was arrested on July 19, 2012 by the Region 12 CIDU’s Special Action Team in Sarangani. The court, however, was only informed of his arrest seven months later on Feb. 20, 2013.

A spot report attached to the return of warrant said a certain Nestor Dialangan, supposedly a former employee of the Ampatuan clan, identified him as one of the accused in the massacre. No affidavit of identification was attached to the report.

The prosecution panel has yet to comment on the issue.

Matute, who was already arraigned as Saptula for the multiple murder case, is currently detained in the Quezon City Jail-Annex at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Adam, meanwhile, is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame pending the resolution of the issue involving their arrest.