Government prosecutors in the Philippines rested their case against 28 accused of masterminding and carrying out the Ampatuan Massacre of 2009, more than four years since the trial started in January 2010.
Government prosecutors rested their case against 28 accused of masterminding and carrying out the Ampatuan Massacre of 2009 on 28 February 2014, more than four years since the trial started in January 2010.
In an 11-page manifestation, government prosecutors said they had no more witnesses to present and “after careful assessment and judicious deliberation” were ready to rest their case against 28 of the 197 persons accused, among them Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr.
However, for the rest of the accused, the government prosecutors said they have to wait for the resolution of pending motions or appeals affecting witnesses who have been “conditionally admitted” in Court.
Meanwhile, on 7 March 2014, the Court denied a motion from the defense to block the testimony of the embalmer who found a mobile phone with text messages a victim had sent during the massacre.
The defense asked the court to block the presentation of Jonito Puton, the embalmer of victim Cynthia Oquendo. Puton found Oquendo’s mobile phone which contained text messages the latter sent during the massacre.
Lawyer Oquendo and 57 others, 32 of who were journalists and media workers, were killed on 23 November 2009 in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, in an incident of election-related violence.
