Detection group arrests Ampatuan massacre suspect

Thursday, December 15, 2011

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A member of the Provincial Security Guard (PSG) in North Cotabato, who is among the 196 accused in the Maguindanao massacre, was arrested inside a government hospital where he worked as guard at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, a police official said.

The suspect was identified as Sahid Guiamadel, also known as Jun Aliman, 30, of Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.

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The accused, according to Chief Inspector Elmer Guevarra, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in North Cotabato, did not resist arrest when they seized him inside the Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Amas Complex here.

"He simply took his uniform, got his bag and without a word, joined the CIDG operatives," Guevarra said.

Guevarra said a relative of Guiamadel tipped them about the suspect's whereabouts.

A reward of P250,000 awaits the informant who made the arrest of Guiamadel possible, according to Guevarra.

Guiamadel, after he went into hiding for more than a year, worked as security guard -- first at the Amado Diaz Hospital in Midsayap then later at the Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Kidapawan City.

"Even his colleagues at the hospital never thought he was among those wanted for the murder of 57 people in Maguindanao," Guevarra said.

Guiamadel was arrested based on a warrant issued by Judge Jocelyn Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court branch 221 last March 24, 2010.

The accused was immediately brought to the headquarters of the CIDG in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao based in Cotabato City.