The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said members of the Ampatuan clan and other convicts in the Maguindanao massacre case are tightly guarded at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
A total of 43 suspects in the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre were convicted by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Presiding Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes on Dec. 19.
Twenty-eight of the principal suspects, including Zaldy Ampatuan and Anwar Ampatuan Sr., were sentenced to reclusion perpetua without parole while 15 others, who were accessories to the crime, were sentenced to suffer 6 to 10 years and eight months in prison.
After the promulgation, they were immediately brought to the NBP to start serving their sentences.
“They are well-guarded and well-monitored. No special treatment,” Gabriel Chaclag, BuCor spokesperson, said.
They were all brought directly to the NBP maximum security camp instead of the Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) which receives new prisoners.
Once inside the maximum prison facility, they were photographed and fingerprinted.
The BuCor will also do physical and psychological evaluations, counseling and briefing on prison rules and regulations as part of the regular procedures for newly arrived prisoners.
He revealed that next year, the BuCor will hire 1,500 corrections and technical corrections officers to beef up the number of its prison guards.
In the decision of Judge Solis-Reyes, among the 28 who were convicted of 57 counts of murder are Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr., Datu Anwar Sajid “Datu Ulo” Ampatuan, Datu Anwar “Datu Ipi” Ampatuan Jr., P/Inspector Saudi Mokamad, PO1 Jonathan Engid, Abedin Alamada a.k.a. Kumander Bedi, Talembo “Tammy” Masukat a.k.a. Talembo Kahar Abdulrakman, Theng P. Sali a.k.a. Abdullah Hamid Abdulkahar, Manny Ampatuan, Nasser Esmael a.k.a. Nasrudin Esmael, Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, P/Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, P/Supt. Abusama Mundas Maguid, and P/Supt. Bahnarin Kamaong. (Jonathan Hicap)