MANILA, Philippines - A local official in Maguindanao province has implicated former provincial governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. in the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town last November 23.

The local official, who was one of the several witnesses transferred from General Santos City to Manila last Wednesday, executed the first affidavit linking the former governor to the mass killing.

The witness’ account also corroborated previous testimonies, pointing to former governor’s son, Datu Unsay Maryo Andal Ampatuan Jr., as the leader of more than 100 gunmen who directly participated in the massacre.

Ampatuan Sr. has been arrested with his two other sons, acting provincial governor Sajid Ampatuan and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, for allegedly plotting a rebellion against the government.

The alleged rebellion was supposed to prevent authorities from arresting members of the Ampatuan clan who are involved in the massacre.

In his affidavit, the local official said he was in a Sangguniang Bayan meeting when Ampatuan Jr. summoned him in the morning of November 23.

“As a sign of respect and aside from the fact that I cannot refuse an order especially a strong invitation from any of the Ampatuans,” the witness said in the affidavit.

He said he was already with the mayor when Inspector Sukarno Dicay, Maguindanao provincial police office deputy chief, radioed and informed Ampatuan Jr. that the “Mangudadatu convoy had already passed Tacurong City and fast heading to Maguindanao.”

The convoy led by the wife of Vice-Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu came from Buluan town. They had to pass through Tacurong City to get to Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, where they were supposed to file a certificate of candidacy for governor on behalf of the vice mayor.

The witness said in his affidavit that Ampatuan Jr. ordered Dicay to let the convoy pass and enter the province.

He said that in Dicay’s second radio message, he was informing the mayor that the convoy has reached Sitio Malating, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town.

It was at this time when Ampatuan Jr. allegedly told his men to prepare. When the mayor received another message from the provincial police official, he ordered all his men to head to Sitio Malating, the witness added.

"I was shocked when I saw several people lying on the ground face down,” the witness said in his affidavit.

‘Father, they’re already here’

As soon as they arrived, the witness said Ampatuan Jr. approached one of the vans of the Mangudadatus and saw the mayor pulling out a woman.

“I saw that he was pulling out a woman from the van, but the woman was struggling, then I heard shots," the witness told investigators.

The witness said the other women, including the two sisters of Vice-Mayor Mangudadatu, were then forced back into their vans.

The witness added that the women were “hit with the butt of the gun, dragged, kicked, slapped, boxed if they refused to follow the order.”

The witness said he tried to hide in one of the police vehicles parked at the scene of the crime, but Ampatuan Jr. found him and ordered to join him in another vehicle.

“For fear, I acceded,” the witness said.

He said that while they were inside a vehicle, Ampatuan Jr. talked in his handheld radio and said “Ama, naiaden silan (Ama nandito na sila [Father, they’re already here]).”

The witness said the ‘Ama’ that Ampatuan Jr. talked to replied: “Katawan nungka den ngin e gulan nungka (Alam mo na ang gagawin mo [You know what you have to do]).”

The witness said the voice of the man was very familiar to him. He said it belongs to Ampatuan Sr.

‘He laughed at the top of his voice’

As soon as the order was received, Ampatuan Jr. ordered his men to gather all the victims in a particular location.

“All passengers were ordered to disembark. They were crying and begging for mercy,” the witness said in his affidavit. “After the shooting, he ordered his men and some policemen to shoot the dead bodies.”

The witness said that after all the passengers had been killed, including more than 20 women and 30 journalists; he heard Ampatuan Jr. made a triumphant laugh.

“He laughed at the top of his voice and as if he was proud of what he did,” the witness said.

Police had said that the massacre victims were killed and buried in two mass graves in Barangay Saniag, Ampatuan town.

The witness also named the other people who led the massacre. They were Datu Kanor Ampatuan, vice-mayor of Salibo town; Datu Banarin Ampatuan, vice-mayor of Mamasapano town ; Sukarno Badal,  vice-mnayor of Sultan Sabarongis; Datu Mama Ampatuan, and Parido Zangkala Gogo.

Police have named at least 31 people, including local officials, policemen, military personnel and newly-commissioned Civilian Volunteer Organization members, as suspects in the massacre.

Investigators said at least 160 people participated in the mass killing.

Ampatuan Jr. is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila and has been charged with multiple murders for the massacre.

His father, Ampatuan Sr., is confined in a military hospital in Davao City while his brothers are detained at a police camp in General Santos City. -- Report from Ces Drilon, ABS-CBN News