Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra Friday directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the killing of Suwaid Upham, an alleged key witness, in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao.
At the same time, Agra defended the Department of Justice (DoJ) against the claim of lawyer Harry Roque that the DoJ was to blame for the Upham’s death for failing to place him under the witness protection program.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation assured the public that another key witness to the massacre, Kenny Dalandag, is in its protective custody.
NBI regional director Ric Diaz said Dalandag is secured round-the-clock.
“Aside from Dalandag, the NBI General Santos has also secured other witnesses and families of the victims.
Agra said Roque never brought the supposed witness “for interview or evaluation” by DoJ prosecutors.
“How can that person be placed in the witness protection program?” said Agra, while pointing out that Roque represents some victims and one suspect in the massacre.
Roque, who law firm represents the families of 14 of the victims in the Maguindanao massacre, recently condemned the killing of Upham, who earlier came out as “Jessie” and offered to be a witness against the principal accused in the Maguindanao murders.
Roque said Upham was shot dead last June 14, 2010 in Parang, Maguindanao.
Upham, hiding under the identity of “Jessie,” surfaced in March of this year seeking to placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program as a witness in the massacre case, said Roque.
Source: MB
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