Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao, grimaces in pain after people from a crowd waiting at the Department of Justice (DoJ) compound kicked him Friday while on his way to the preliminary investigation. (Photo by MARK BALMORES)

Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao, principal suspect in the November 23 massacre of 57 civilians and journalists, was attacked by an angry mob while being escorted to the preliminary investigation of the case at the Department of Justice building in Manila Friday.

He was kicked from behind by a still unidentified man before his escorts were able to bring him inside the building. Ampatuan staggered and nearly fell but was not seriously hurt.

Angry protesters, including media people, also confronted Ampatuan’s lawyer Sigfried Fortun outside the DoJ compound when he arrived for the hearing. The protesters waved pictures of the massacre at Fortun, although the lawyer was not physically attacked.

A reporter also threw pictures of the massacre into Ampatuan Jr.'s face. The journalists, all members of the National Press Club, said their protest was a show of support and sympathy for the 57 families of the massacre victims, which includes 30 journalists.

Ampatuan Jr. has been charged with 25 counts of murder for the massacre.

Several witnesses have testified that he took part in the killings.

His father, former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., and several members of the powerful clan have also been charged with murder for the massacre.

The harassment on Ampatuan occurred although more than 300 policemen were deployed in the vicinity of the Department of Justice compound and the nearby headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation where Ampatuan is being detained.

Manila Police District (MPD) chief Rodolfo Magtibay said that as early 5 a.m. Friday, at least four trucks belonging to the National Capital Region Police Office were positioned along Taft Avenue to secure Ampatuan and eyewitness Kenny Dalandag, a former member of the private army of the Ampatuan patriarch in Maguindanao.

Magtibay said they have placed the entire city on heightened alert since Thursday to assure not only the safety of Ampatuan and Dalandag but also for the protection of Manila residents and transients.

"Wala naman kaming nare-receive na reports na maaaring may mangyari today pero just a precautionary measure, nag-deploy tayo ng 300 na pulis sa vicinity to maintain the peace and order situation of the city.

“Mas magandang sigurado tayo kaysa na hintayin natin na may mangyari pa," he said before the attack on Ampatuan took place.

Outside the NBI headquarters, at least 10 NBI agents armed with high-powered rifles and clad in bullet-proof vests stood guard at the gate and meticulously scrutinized visitors coming in and out of the headquarters.

Traffic on both sides of Taft Avenue were snarled when the stretch of Padre Faura from Taft Avenue was closed to traffic at around 2 p.m.

Ampatuan, who was also clad in a camouflage bullet-proof vest, white T-shirt and denim pants, was brought to the DoJ at around 1:30 p.m. on-board a bullet-proof NBI vehicle.

NBI spokesman Ricardo Diaz said 25 agents were assigned to secure Ampatuan Jr.

“We don’t want to take chances. We have to be sure that he is safe when he goes to the DoJ and returns to his cell at the NBI,” Diaz said. (With a report from Leonard Postrado)