Eleven suspects in the grisly Maguindanao massacre pleaded “not guilty” Wednesday to 56 counts of murder during the partial arraignment of the accused at the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) building in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

A total of 15 men tagged in the killings in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao showed up at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning in the building’s ground floor courtroom that served as an extension of Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 221, which had been hearing the case.

Pleading their innocence from the multiple murder charges were Police Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, Police Officers 2 Saudiara Ulah, Saudi Pasutan, and Hernani Decipolo Saulong, PO1s Pia Kamidon, Rainier Ebus, Esprielito Giano Lejaso, Herich Manisi Amaba, and Michael Joy Macaraig, and Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) members Takpan Dilon and Esmael Canapia.

The accused, all from Maguindanao, entered their plea one by one via microphone through the help of an interpreter, lawyer Rolando Abu of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos

Meanwhile, Presiding Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes deferred the arraignment of the four remaining suspects pending resolution of a Motion to Quash for Judicial Determination of Probable Cause by their counsel filed on Tuesday.

Postponed to April 30 was the arraignment of PO3 Abiduin Abdulgani, PO2 Hamand Hana, PO1 Ismael Guialal, and PO1 Michael Juanitas Madsig.

Early on, the prosecution panel led by Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon assailed the defense for filing a motion the day before Wednesday’s hearing, saying it was “obviously meant to delay the proceeding.”

Reyes nonetheless granted the defense’s request for deferment as the other respondents went on to enter their pleas, respectively.

Security was very tight last Wednesday at Camp Bagong Diwa, where the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) also holds its headquarters.

Both police and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) members secured the five-story MMDJ building, where members of the Ampatuan political clan – the principal suspects in the massacre – were also locked up.

Electronic devices such as cellular phones and laptops were banned inside the building, although members of the media, particularly photojournalists, were able to keep their cameras.

Providing some comic relief were the 15 respondents themselves, which were either wearing yellow or orange – campaign colors of presidential aspirants Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Manny” Villar, respectively.

This brought back to mind the controversial “press conference” of former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. Tuesday afternoon wherein he announced his support to Aquino. Earlier, while still detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), he said that the Ampatuans were backing Villar.

Apart from that, the proceedings carried on with a serious tone. Almost fully represented were relatives of the 30 slain journalists in the November 23 massacre, who looked on sternly as the 11 accused made their plea.

The court in the end merely “took note"of the manifestation filed by the victims’ relatives to have the hearings postponed until July 1 or when a new administration has taken over. Roque said this was because the still-grieving relatives have lost all hope that they would gain justice under the Arroyo administration.

“Although it (manifestation) was merely ‘noted’ by court, I think it’s enough. It’s a matter of taking record. At least the complainants were able to air their side,” Roque said.

The lawyer, however, said he was bothered by the numerous petitions for review that the Ampatuans have filed, saying this was made purposely to derail motions on the part of the prosecution.

Jail exec burned from ‘heat’ of Andal presscon
Meanwhile, Senior Inspector Lloyd Gonzaga, chief jailer of the Maguindanao massacre suspects, probably never thought that allowing Ampatuan Jr. out of jail for “an interview” would cause him so much trouble and attention.

Gonzaga defended his decision for letting the Datu Unsay mayor hold a press conference at the ground floor of the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) building in Camp Bagong Diwa on Tuesday afternoon, saying that it does not constitute “special treatment” for the massacre suspect.

“Hindi naman siguro special treatment, yung ibang mga accused kasi na-iinterview rin ng media dati pa,” said Gonzaga Wednesday morning just before the arraignment of 15 respondents charged with multiple murder at the same building. (“It’s not special treatment, other accused have been interviewed by media before.”)

In his explanation Wednesday, Gonzaga maintained that what was carried out with Ampatuan the day before was a mere interview with journalists and not a proper presser, although the “event” was covered by major dailies and television networks.

Gonzaga, officer-in-charge of the Quezon City Jail Annex located at the fourth floor of the MMDJ building where six Ampatuan clan members are detained, oversaw the press conference wherein Andal was even allowed out of his handcuffs.

Asked pointblank if he green-lit the press conference, the jail official answered, “Yes. Pinayagan ko kahapon (I permitted it yesterday).”

He explained that as policy of BJMP, individuals accused of crimes are “permitted to hold interviews for as long as they are willing to talk.”

“As long as there is a request, we approve it immediately,” he said.

Gonzaga also denied reports that it was jail officers who called for the interview, saying it was in fact the idea of Ampatuan’s lawyers.

Public outrage spills
As this developed, the public outrage over the decision of acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra to drop the case against two prime suspects in the Maguindanao massacre has spilled over to Filipinos living overseas.

On Wednesday, Migrante-Middle East said in a statement that the group will join protest actions planned by various sectors this Friday which also commemorates the 5th month of the massacre.

“We are calling on our fellow OFWs to also appeal to their families to involve in the protest actions to show solidarity to the families of Maguindanao victims and to affirm our commitment for justice and peace to prevail in the Philippines,’’ said John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of the Saudi-based group.

Monterona said that Migrante chapters in the Kingdom will also hold rallies prior to the planned protests.

He claimed there are over 1,800 active members of Migrante chapters in the Middle East.

Monterona also urged Migrante chapters and organizing committees in the United Arab Emiates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain to stage their own protest actions in support for the same cause.(With a report from (Shianee Mamanglu)