Ghosts Haunt Top Suspect in Philippine Massacre

The ghosts of 57 massacre victims appeared to be haunting Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the principal suspect in the Nov. 23 mass killings that rocked the Philippines and sent shockwaves across the globe.

Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. holds his detainee number while being photographed inside his detention cell at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila. (AP)

An official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) disclosed on Sunday, November 29, that Ampatuan, who is under detention at the NBI headquarters in Manila, showed restlessness and could hardly sleep.
Ricardo Diaz, the chief of the NBI Counter Terrorism Unit and concurrent spokesman for the Maguindanao massacre case, said Ampatuan had confessed to him that he was afraid of the ghosts allegedly visiting him at his cell.
“He said he’s afraid of the ghosts. He prefers to sleep outside his cell and stays most of the time near the visitors’ area. He tries to sleep on a bench fully wrapped in blanket,” Diaz said.
The NBI earlier found traces of Rivotril, a sleeping pill, in the urine sample taken from Ampatuan who admitted using the drug.
Diaz said Ampatuan is also fearful that somebody could kill him inside the NBI detention facility. “He said there is a threat to his life,” Diaz said.
He also said that the suspected massacre mastermind had been rejecting food sent to him by people claiming to be his relatives. “A man claiming to be his uncle once came to give him food. But he said he didn’t know the man and didn’t eat the food he sent,” Diaz said.
The NBI official assured that the NBI jail is heavily secured, with barbed wires separating the jail facility from the visitor’s area. “He cannot escape there. Aside from the barbed wires, there are many guards. When visitors talk to him, barbed wires separate them,” Diaz said.
The NBI official said Ampatuan has a team of lawyers staying with him inside the jail facility. “They work 24 hours by shift. But the lawyers are only staying at the visitor’s area,” Diaz said.
He said the drug test conducted on Ampatuan last Friday showed no trace of drugs.  However, Diaz said it does not mean that Ampatuan did not take drugs as traces usually get lost 40 hours after the drugs are consumed.