Hunt for 92 culprits shifts to new tack

THE national police shifts its strategy in running after the remaining 92 Maguindanao massacre suspects, as the country commemorated on Friday the third year anniversary of the gruesome killings of 58 people, mostly journalists, the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.

On Thursday, P/Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., CIDG chief said that the Special Investigation Task Group “Maguindanao” will focus on operational research by reviewing the identities and personal profiles of the 92 suspects who are still at large and, if necessary, to purge the list in order to come up with a logical approach in accounting for the remaining suspects.

The shift in its strategy came in the wake of several incidents of mistaken arrest where CIDG operatives have apprehended the wrong person whose name is similar to those who are in the list of wanted persons in the Maguindanao massacre case, he said.

Ernald Singian to initiate the conduct of operational research.

“Recent progress in the arrest of the remaining suspects has hit a snag with fictitious and similarity of names and aliases of the suspects, lack of identifying documents, birth certificate and photos made it difficult for CIDG operatives to implement the arrest warrants,” he said.

Pagdilao expressed hope that the MILF as well as the local government leaders like Gov. Esmael Mangun- dadatu of Maguindanao province can help the CIDG in the conduct of operational research in order to come up with an updated list and true personalities of the remaining suspects that are subject of warrants of arrest.