The Department of Justice on Friday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the circumstances surrounding the recent ambush of a witness in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre that resulted in the death of his security aide.
In Department Order 143 dated June 4 but released to the media only Friday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra required the NBI to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the ambush of Mohammad Sangki, a witness in the Maguindanao massacre case and who has been admitted into the Department’s Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program.
The ambush resulted in the killing of Richard Escobilla, an intelligence and security officer, in Tantangan, South Cotabato.
Guevarra instructed NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor to submit reports on the progress of its investigation and case build-up within 10 days.
Reports indicated that Sangki was traveling aboard a motor vehicle from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat to the airport in General Santos City to catch a flight to Metro Manila when he got ambushed in Barangay Bukaypait.
This is the second ambush against Sangki this year after the March 17 attack in Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao.
Guevarra stressed that Sangki was a vital witness in the continuing trial of the Maguindanao massacre case.
The DOJ expressed belief that Sangki’s ambush last June 3 “had something to do with the horrible case.”
Last December 19, Judge Jocelyn Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 promulgated a decision which found guilty beyond reasonable doubt 28 persons including members of the Ampatuan clan for 57 counts of murder.
On the other hand, the court has yet to conclude the trial of a number of the accused, some of whom remain at large.