He told reporters they had a petition for review pending since 30 days ago before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and that the DOJ was supposed to look into it within 60 days. “The DOJ has not resolved the petition for review.”
He said they filed “a lot of motions,” including one on the determination of probable cause in the case for murder.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a relative of the Ampatuans arrived at the lobby of the EastMinCom where Pantojan and another lawyer, Alexis Lumbatan, were waiting, to say the DOJ had “dismissed the murder charges against Zaldy andAkmad Ampatuan” and that a copy had been rushed to the General Santos City airport, where the four detained Ampatuans were waiting for the C-130 cargo aircraft from Zamboanga City.
“Nakahabol pa” (The order reached them), he said.
The relative added somebody should have informed Congressman Simeon Datumanong much earlier. Datumanong, former Justice Secretary, is an Ampatuan (Simeon Ampatuan Datumanong).[]
The alleged “dismissal” could not be confirmed then. But it also did notstop the transfer of Zaldy and Akmad.[]
