GENERAL SANTOS CITY — A lawyer has confirmed that several witnesses to the 2009 killing of 58 people, including 32 journalists, in Maguindanao province have been offered bribes to recant their testimonies against the killers. Nena Santos, a private lawyer for the families of 35 of the victims, including the family of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, on Saturday said five witnesses had been offered P150,000, M-16 rifles for self-defense, P10,000 monthly allowance and houses in Datu Unsay town, Maguindanao. Roque said, however, that the case against Ampatuan Jr. remained strong despite the recantation of the witnesses, whom he did not identify. Affidavits on bribe offer“The four other witnesses offered bribes to retract their testimonies had been retrieved by the Witness Protection Program before payments could be made to them,” Santos said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 30, 2018 21:45 UTC