MANILA - Two Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) members have confirmed the presence of Datu Unsay town Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and other members of the Ampatuan clan at the site of the massacre in Maguindanao province.

Police operations chief Director Jefferson Soriano told ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG) that CVO members Esmail Canapia and Takpan Dilon have also admitted that they are among the gunmen who massacred 57 people, including female members of the Mangudadatu family and journalists.

Soriano said formal inquests for illegal possession of firearms and murder charges against the two CVO members were conducted at the Philippine National Police (PNP) national headquarters in Camp Crame around 11 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two were arrested after their firearms, an M-16 rifle and a shotgun, matched bullets and other forensic evidences recovered at the site of the massacre.

"In their inquest, at the presence of Commission on Human Rights chief Leila de Lima, they named the Ampatuans that we earlier charged with murder as among those present at the crime scene," Soriano told UKG.

He added that the two CVO members claimed they were ordered by the Ampatuans to shoot at the Mangudadatu clan members and the journalists.

The Mangudadatu clan was led by the Genaylin Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan town Vice-Mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, who has formalized his candidacy for governor of Maguindanao.

The massacre was allegedly ordered to prevent Mangudadatu from formalizing his bid for governor. Ampatuan Jr., who has been charged with 25 counts of murder, is reportedly being groomed by the Ampatuan clan to succeed the governorship from his father, Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.

The other Ampatuans charged with 25 counts of murder were Datu Ulo Ampatuan, a cousin of Ampatuan Jr., Mamasapano town Mayor Bahnarin Ampatuan and vice-mayors Datu Kanor Ampatuan and Tony Kenis Ampatuan.

Others charged for their alleged involvement in the massacre were Muhamad Sangki, an official of Datu Unsay town; Tammy Masukat and CVO commander in Maguindanao.

Clearer picture of massacre

Soriano said that with the testimonies of the two CVO members, investigators can now start creating a clearer picture of how the massacre was planned and carried out.

He said the involvement of Ampatuan Jr. and the other Ampatuans in the abduction has already been established with earlier statements by Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, Maguindanao police's deputy provincial director and Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, group commander of the 1508th Police Provincial Mobile Group.

Dicay and Diongon had said that they were stopping the convoy of the Mangudadatus at the highway in Sitio Malating, Barangay Salman when the group of Ampatuan Jr., who was allegedly armed with an M-16 rifle, arrived and abducted the victims.

The victims were massacred in Barangay Saniag, more than a kilometre away from where they were abducted.

The two police officers were among the 4 police area commanders relieved by the PNP due to their possible involvement in the massacre. The other two police officials were Superintendent Abusama Maguid, Maguindanao police provincial director and Senior Police Officer 2 Badawi Bakal, acting chief of Ampatuan town's police station.

The four police officials and the two CVO members have been brought to Camp Crame for further investigation.

More witnesses in Manila

Soriano said a total of 24 policemen are being held at Camp Crame for investigation. He said their testimonies will be used by the police to build a strong case against the suspects in the massacre.

ABS-CBN correspondent Niko Baua, meanwhile, reported that the Department of Justice on Wednesday night transported at least 4 witnesses from General Santos City to Manila.

Baua reported that 14 more witnesses were scheduled to arrive in Manila on Thursday.

There were still no confirmation if the witnesses are being brought to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters, where Ampatuan Jr. is being held.