De Lima: Video of alleged SAF shot at close range could be evidence

A video purportedly of one of the 44 elite policemen being shot at close range could be used as evidence against armed rebels involved in the January 25 bloody clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

In an interview, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she would have the National Bureau of Investigation look into the authenticity of the video, which had begun circulating on social networking sites.

"First of all, iyong gagawin is to authenticate and to try to validate the authenticity of that video. And then, kung authenticated or validated, then definitely, that would be evidence; that would be very important for evidentiary purposes," said De Lima.

She assured the public that the NBI, through its Cybercrime Division, has the capability to identify the source of the video, and eventually identify the slain victim as well as the gunman.

De Lima said the video, once authenticated, is admissible in court.

"There are rules (on admissibility). Kailangang ma-trace sino 'yung nag-take ng video na 'yan. 'Yan ang makaka-validate kung anong oras 'yung pagkuha ng video," she said.

De Lima said the shooting, showing a wounded man moaning in pain before being shot, was akin to a summary execution.

The justice secretary said under the International Humanitarian Law, "circumstances" like an armed conflict cannot be used as an excuse to justify such "barbaric and cruel" acts that remain punishable by law.

"Even if nasa conflict, even if there is war, or even if there is armed conflict, may mga rules of conduct, war conduct, and the ano nga diyan, kapag helpless na, hindi na dapat sinasaktan o 'di na dapat pinapatay," she said.

"Acts of cruelty, or acts of atrocity at any setting, is (sic) quite condemnable (and) completely unacceptable," she added.

The 44 troopers, belonging to the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force, were killed in an alleged "misencounter" with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. The troopers were on a mission to serve warrants of arrest to two international terrorists confirmed to be in Mamasapano—Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Commander Marwan and Filipino bomb maker and Abu Sayyaf member Basit Usman.

The PNP, the Department of Justice, the Senate and House of Representatives are all separately probing the deadly clash.

Men in video are indeed from SAF

PNP-SAF spokesman Captain Jayson Baldos meanwhile on Wednesday confirmed to GMA News Online that the men featured in a video clip circulating on Facebook as being brutally killed by gunmen were indeed members of the PNP-SAF.

In a phone interview, Baldos said the patches and uniforms of the men in the video showed that they were from the PNP-SAF.

However, Baldos said they are still confirming if it was taken during the Jan. 25 clash between the elite policemen and MILF and BIFF in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao.

"Kinokontak pa natin ang battalions," he said, noting that this includes the battalion of the fallen troopers' 5th Battalion, which is based in Zamboanga City.

Asked for the identity of the gunmen in the video, Baldos said they are still verifying.

The six-minute video clip, entitled "Story behind of Mamasapano," was uploaded by a certain Zaldy Baldz Suson on Facebook.

The video, believed to be taken by one of the attackers, showed a wounded trooper on the ground, being shot several times until he was dead.

After the death, the attacker then proceeded to the other dead troopers, and also stripped them of their gears and equipment.

The video, which draw flak from angry netizens, also showed other gunmen getting the gears of other troopers on the ground.

‘Please don't share degrading video’

Meanwhile, Baldos urged the public to refrain from sharing the video showing the brutal killing of their colleagues.

"Panawagan sana na hangga't maaari, itigil na nila ang pagsha-share kasi hindi lamang ito masakit para sa family, pero siyempre masakit rin para sa'min sa SAF," he said.

"'Yung paglabas nito, parang dinagdagan 'yung suffering ng hindi lamang ng family, kun'di pati rin ang members ng SAF. Degrading ito, ang pagpatay," he added. "Fresh pa ang wounds."