He made the announcement after an executive meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who came to visit the wake of the slain journalists.

Puno said that based on witnesses’ testimonies, including from one who was at the crime scene when the massacre happened, there is a strong case against Ampatuan.

Police investigators, he said, have gathered testimonies starting from the check point in Barangay Salman, where the Mangudadatu convoy was waylaid by some 100 gunmen allegedly headed by Ampatuan Jr., all the way to sitio Masalay some 2.5 to three kilometers from the national highway.

Puno said one vital piece of evidence that was seized is an improvised armored vehicle with a caliber .50 machine gun mounted on it supposedly owned by the Ampatuan family.

“That armored vehicle was used in the crime. Our investigators were able to trace that and who ordered to bring it to the checkpoint, then later followed to the crime scene,” he told reporters.

The police announced Wednesday that two firearms seized from members of the Civilian Volunteer Organization matched spent shells gathered from the crime scene.

Senior Supt. Ericson Velasquez, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief, said they also have a witness present at the crime scene who saw who fired at the victims.

He said they now have in their custody at least six vital witnesses. He is asking for more witnesses to surface but acknowledged that some are afraid to go out in the open for fear of their lives.

Aside from Ampatuan Jr., authorities said earlier they are not discounting the possible involvement of two other prominent Ampatuan clan members -- Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal S. Ampatuan Sr. and ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy U. Ampatuan. Authorities said six others clan members may be involved, too. (MindaNews)

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