Despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Philippine National Police has ordered an intensified manhunt for 76 Maguindanao massacre suspects who remain at large.
Acting on the directive of Chief PNP P/Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management of the PNP has issued a Memorandum dated March 13, 2020 to all units “on the Tracking and Accounting of Wanted Persons Involved in the Maguindanao Massacre.”
In response to this PNP-wide directive, P/Lt. Col. Edilmar Alviar, officer-in-charge of the Operations Management Division of the Police Security and Protection Group, issued another memo directing his men to “publish the photos of the above-mentioned accused via TV, Radio, Internet and Media (TRIM) and cause the implementation of their Warrant of Arrest.
The Special Agents of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) are also members of the PSPG.
Other PNP units besides the PSPG similarly cascaded the directive to their field personnel, who were required to submit their action taken by 5 p.m. of March 26, 2020.
Authorities have placed a bounty for the capture of suspects Datu Bahnarin A. Ampatuan and Datu Saudi Ampatuan Jr. at P300,000 each, while the amount of P250,000 each will be the reward for the arrest of the remaining suspects.
PTFoMS Executive Director USec Joel Egco said that despite the national emergency caused by COVID-19, the PNP, through Gamboa, has actively pursued the delivery of justice for the massacre’s victims and their families.
“As I have mentioned time and again, the PTFoMS and our member-agencies like the PNP, will stop at nothing in fulfilling our mandate and commitment to our media workers,” Egco said.
For his part, PTFoMS Co-Chair and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said this latest development underscores how this administration is multi-tasking to serve the ends of justice.
“We do not neglect and forget our other priorities and targets just because of a national emergency where PNP personnel are also frontliners. This is just the beginning of the end for these fugitives from the law. Let me reiterate that the PNP, just like the PTFoMS, is a proactive organization that takes its job very seriously,” Andanar said.
The PTFoMS has learned that similar directives were issued to various PNP units and offices nationwide for the immediate arrests of the suspects.
Egco said that the Task Force is on top of the situation and is closely coordinating with various officials and operatives of the PNP regarding this development.
“We are relentless in our pursuit to bring all suspects in the gruesome Maguindanao massacre to justice,” Egco said.