Filipino Police Arrest Operator Of Backhoe Used To Bury 57 Massacre Victims

November 30, 2009 4:21 p.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - One of the operators of a backhoe believed to have been used to bury 57 people in the Philippines' deadliest election-related violence, has been arrested by police. The massacre was allegedly led by a local official, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is the son of the patriarch of a powerful clan in the southern province of Mindanao.

A backhoe found parked near where the bodies were recovered was used to dig graves at the massacre site on three occasions, according to Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu, regional deputy police chief and commander of Task Force Alpha. One of the three operators of the machine, an employee of the provincial government's engineering office, has been taken into custody.

The backhoe first dug graves on Nov. 18, and then on Nov. 22. It returned on Nov. 23, the day of the murders. The machined has the name of Ampatuan's father on it, indicating it as the property of the Maguindanao provincial government.

The identity of the operator in custody has not been released.

Fifty-seven bodies have been found in graves near Barangay Salman, in a town called Ampatuan. The victims include members of a rival clan, the Mangudadatus, two lawyers, two dozen journalists, and city government officials who happened to be at the same place at the time of the killings.

Ampatuan is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila, and will be indicted on Tuesday on seven counts of murder. According to the Justice Department, the charges against him are based on autopsy reports and statements from 17 witnesses, including some who worked for his family.

The Justice Department has said eight other members of Ampatuan's family are wanted for questioning and can be considered as suspects. The family members include the mayor's father, clan patriarch and Maguindanao Provincial Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., and his brother, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan.

Ampatuan has accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a separatist group, of the killings. But the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has called his allegation "absurd."

The wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Toto Mangudadatu was on her way on Monday to file her husband's candidacy papers for governor, a campaign that would have pitted the vice mayor against Ampatuan, who was seeking to succeed his father as governor in next year's elections.

Mangudadatu had sent his wife and other female members of his clan to file his election papers with the belief that his rival would not attack the women.

Authorities say the convoy of six vehicles carrying Mangudadatu's wife, two lawyers, security personnel and 30 journalists was ambushed by about 100 armed men, who killed the victims in an area 10 kilometers from the national highway in Barangay Malating.

Some of the victims were found buried together with the vehicles, others have hack marks, and the women showed signs of having been raped.

The victims include several local officials who were not part of the convoy. Employees of the city government of Tacurong and the local National Economic Development Authority office who "happened to be there [at the highway]" were killed, Senior Supt. Willie Dangane said last week.

A pregnant woman is also said to be one of the victims. Several bodies remain unidentified and some people who are believed to have been part of the convoy are reportedly still missing.

Among the journalists in the convoy, 24 have been found dead, according to the Justice Department.. A small group of journalists survived the tragedy because they separated from the convoy and made a stop at a gas station.

The Army last week took control of the Maguindanao provincial capitol and the local government in the towns of Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak. The National Police has also put the entire police force in Ampatuan town under investigation, and four will be charged for allegedly participating in the executions.

The Army has assigned soldiers to guard each of the warring clans to prevent any escalation of violence resulting from retaliation.

Earlier, the government declared a state of emergency in Maguindanao, as well as in Cotabato City and Sultan Kudarat. Civilian Army volunteers, called CAFGUs, have also been disarmed.