After being a no-show at last week’s trial, Lakmodin Saliao, the Ampatuans’ helper of more than two decades, positively identified his former masters as the brains in the 2009 mass murder of 58 people in Maguindanao.
Saliao stood before the gallery and pointed to former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son Sajid Ampatuan among the suspects in the November 23, 2009 killings. Only 57 counts of murder have been filed against the accused because the body of one of the victims, that of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, has yet to be found.
Suspended ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the prime suspects who has yet to be arraigned, did not attend Wednesday’s trial.
Saliao, who served in the Ampatuan household for 23 years, identified the senior Ampatuan as the one who ordered the attack on the convoy of journalists and relatives of current Maguindanao governor Toto Mangudadatu.
Saliao is said to have been present at the Ampatuan residence on November 17 and 22, 2009, when the plot was hatched in their mansion in Shariff Aguak. He earlier testified that clan patriarch Andal Sr., Zaldy, Sajid and other relatives and supporters were present at the dinners where the murders were planned.
Saliao was scheduled to appear in court last Thursday but prosecutors instead presented Kenny Dalandag after Saliao did not meet with government lawyers the day before the trial. The prosecution team did not state the reason behind Saliao’s disappearance last week.
Wednesday’s trial marks the first time a court proceeding was streamed live online. Saliao’s appearance in court is also the first positive identification of a witness shown via the Internet.
During the trial, the defense team appeared bent on showing to the court how weak Saliao is as a witness.
After Saliao identified the Ampatuans, he pointed to another person in the gallery—Sajid’s lawyer Art Loren Tan.
The defense lawyers quickly stopped Saliao from pointing to other people who are not in the murder charge sheet.
“His task was simply to identify the accused he identified in his previous testimony," said defense lawyer Sigfrid Fortun."But Saliao said more than what he was asked to do.”
Fortun added that Saliao’s actions only attest to “the quality of the witness that he is.”
