QUEZON CITY, Philippines, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Philippines clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. ordered the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province, a court witness said Wednesday.
Rasul Sangki, vice mayor of Ampatuan City, told a Quezon City court that Andal Sr. instructed his son, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., to carry out the slayings, in which dozens of backers of gubernatorial candidate Esmael Mangudadatu, journalists and bystanders were gunned down while traveling in a convoy, GMANews.tv reported.
Sangki's testimony was heard during the trial of Andal Jr. on multiple murder counts. The witness said he saw the massacre, testifying he watched while Andal Jr. and his private army commandeered the convoy, which was led by Mangudadatu's wife, and as the victims were assaulted and later killed on a nearby hill.
GMANews.tv reported Sangki told the court he saw Andal Jr. personally shoot two women and a journalist he identified as Jimmy "Pal-ak" Cabillo, allegedly using an M-16 rifle outfitted with an M-203 grenade launcher.
The witness reportedly testified Andal Jr. and his militiamen fired at the bodies of the victims to make sure they were dead.
