Ampatuan scion among new PNPA grads

(Updated 7:13 p.m.) SILANG, Cavite — The grandson of Andal Ampatuan Sr., the principal accused in the high-profile Maguindanao massacre case, was among the 246 cadets who graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) on Thursday.

Cheers were heard when the name of Datu Andal Ampatuan III was called during the 36th PNPA commencement exercises held at Camp General Mariano Castañeda here.

"Proud na proud kami na may Ampatuan na nakapasok at nakapagtapos dito," said the graduate's mother, Bai Rebecca, who rushed to the grandstand after the ceremony to embrace her son.

Rebecca is the daughter of Ampatuan Sr., who is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penelogy detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Also detained with him are his two sons, Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan.

The three together with several others are facing multiple murder and other criminal charges in connection with the grisly killing of 58 people, including 34 journalists, in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009.

Admin allies

Rebecca, who is married to her cousin Akmad Ampatuan, said that while their clan is being implicated in gruesome massacre, their family remains supportive of the Aquino administration.

"Actually, alam naman ng gobyerno na ang pamilya namin hindi kalaban. Nagkataon lang na may nangyari na hindi natin inaasahan. Itong pagpasok ng anak ko sa PNPA ay patunay na kaisa ng gobyerno ang aming pamilya sa pagsulong ng kapayapaan at pagsunod sa batas,” she said.

Rebecca said she and her son will be visiting her father and brothers soon at their detention facility.

"Yung lolo niya at mga kapatid ko hindi naman pwede makapagpadala ng mensahe kasi hindi naman sila pinapayagan na gumamit ng cellphone. Pero paglabas ng anak ko dito [sa PNPA], pupuntahan namin ang tatay ko at mga kapatid ko,” she said.

Ampatuan III

Meanwhile, in a chance interview after the graduation ceremony, Ampatuan III said that while he has experienced a lot of hardships during his four-year stay in the academy, he never experienced being discriminated nor being treated differently by the PNPA administration or by his peers and upperclass men just because of his surname.

“Nahirapan po talaga ako both physically, mentally and emotionally, pero lahat po yun ay parte ng aming pagsasanay. At dahil po sa suporta ng aming buong pamilya at mga kaibigan ay nakayanan ko ang apat na taon na training,” he said.

"Wala naman po akong naranasan na discrimination o 'di pantay na pagtrato," he added.

Ampatuan III was among the 225 of the PNPA graduates opted to join the PNP. Meanwhile, 11 PNPA graduates will be joining the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and 10 will be joining the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

Ampatuan III said he also intends to undergo additional trainings and courses to be part of the PNP's elite unit, Special Action Force (SAF), the elite police unit that lost 44 members in a clash with Moro rebels in Maguindanao last January 25.

"Nang pumasok kami dito ay tanggap na namin na kasama sa aming propesyon ang panganib," Ampatuan III said.

Ampatuan III's brother, Mamasapano, Maguindanao Mayor Tahirodin Benzar Ampatuan was also present during the ceremony.

"Proud kami masyado sa kanya kasi kapangalan pa niya ang lolo namin at siyempre dahil nakayanan niya ang mga training dito [sa PNPA] sa loob ng apat na taon," Benzar said.

Benzar said Ampatuan III, the youngest among six boys in a brood of nine, was the first one in their clan to join the police force.

Misuari

Meanwhile, another PNPA Class 2015 graduate, Cadet Mohammad Dizhar Caluang Misuari, denied that he is affiliated with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder and chairman Nur Misuari.

"May mga nagtatanong nga po kung kaanu-ano ko daw po si Nur Misuari kasi bukod sa pareho kami ng apelyido ay pareho din po kaming taga-Sulu. Pero hindi po, hindi ko po siya kamag-anak," Misuari said.

Nur Misuari is facing charges of rebellion and crimes against humanity for allegedly plotting the Zamboanga seige in 2013. He remains at large.

PNPA spokesperson Chief Inspector Richie Yatar said that the PNPA administration was not aware of the kinship of their cadets when they were admitted to the academy.

“Actually, kelan nga lang namin nalaman na apo pala ni Andal Ampatuan Sr. yung isa sa aming mga cadet. Basta sa amin dito sa PNPA wala kaming biases, wala kaming discrimination. Grumaduate siya (Ampatuan III), so meaning, he was doing good, he was able to meet all the academic and training requirements,”  Yatar said. —KBK, GMA News