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Former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan was taken from his detention cell in the National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila late Thursday morning to be transferred to the Metro
Manila District Jail (MMDJ) in Taguig City.

Guarded by several armed officers from the NBI and the Manila Police District (MPD),
Ampatuan was escorted out at around 11 AM. Accompanied by some of his lawyers, he was
transferred via a convoy that took him to the said prison in Camp Bagong Diwa.

When asked about the security measures the NBI would be implementing in ensuring the success
of the turnover, Director Nestor Mantaring said, ³Secret, siyempre.´ He added with a laugh,
³Pero we will provide security.´

A suspect in the mass killings that took place in Maguindanao last November 23, 2009,
Ampatuan and his security convoy arrived at the MMDJ at around 11:15 AM where the total
turnover was executed between the NBI and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
(BJMP).

Said Mantaring in an earlier interview, ³Dadalhin namin siya sa Camp Bagong Diwa upang i-
turnover sa BJMP so ang custody ay malilipat sa BJMP.´

Prior to the time that Ampatuan was taken from his detention cell, witnesses said that an
attending physician performed the necessary medical check-up several times before the prime
suspect was escorted out.

Before the transfer, plastic bags containing chicken and rice were delivered to his cell,
presumably for his lunch at Camp Bagong Diwa. Ampatuan put all smiles in front of the cameras
as he was escorted to the mobile.

The massacre for which the former mayor is being tried is the worst journalist killing in history,
and the biggest election-related crime of the year in the country. At least 57 civilians were killed,
30 of whom were journalists covering the filing of candidacy of one of the victims.