Maguindanao massacre suspect slain, another held

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – A suspect in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre was killed in an alleged shootout with law enforcers while another was arrested on Thursday.

Police Special Action Force commandos backed by personnel of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion were about to serve a warrant for Surin Mentang in Barangay Satan in Shariff Aguak when he drew his gun, Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Maguindanao police director, said.

“Mentang resisted arrest and opened fire on approaching lawmen, triggering a 10-minute firefight that left him dead and a civilian wounded,” Bongcayao said.

Meanwhile, Harris Macapendeg was apprehended at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao capitol in this city, where he had an official engagement, according to Col. Egnor Melgarejo, police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group BARMM director, said.

Macapendeg, who had a P300,000 bounty on his head, is the barangay captain of Tuayan in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan.

Police said the suspect did not resist arrest when shown a warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 222 Judge Jocelyn Reyes.

Macapendeg is among around 200 gunmen tagged in the killing of 58 people, 38 of them local journalists, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009.

More than 50 other suspects remain unaccounted for.

Joel Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), commended the police for arresting another suspect.

“I assure you that we at the PTFoMS solemnly vow not to allow this gruesome tragedy to happen again. That is our reason why we have put in place several proactive measures to protect media workers this election season,” he said.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar,  PTFoMS co-chairman, assured the public that the Duterte administration has made it a priority to bring to justice all persons involved in the Maguindanao massacre.

”There is no escaping the law. It’s just a matter of time until all those responsible for this massacre are put behind bars,” Andanar said. – Artemio Dumlao