A grandson of former Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. also charged for the Maguindanao massacre was “surrendered” by his mother after he was injured in an explosion that also left one dead and six others hurt in Mamasapano on Sunday, authorities said.

Datu Anwar “Ipi” Ampatuan, one of those charged in the killing of 57 people in Nov. 23, 2009, was brought to the Notre Dame Hospital in Cotabato City past 6 p.m., Col. Prudencio Asto, public affairs chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said.

Around 3 p.m., Ipi’s mother, Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Ampatuan, called Col. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, saying she will “surrender” her son, Asto said in a text message.

“The gesture was due to a reported explosion in Brgy. Libutan, Mamasapano, an hour earlier where her son was severely wounded,” the military official said.

Dela Cruz and Mayor Zahara Ampatuan, along with policemen, fetched Ipi in Brgy. Nabundas, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, around 5:20 p.m., Asto said.

The explosion, which occurred 1:30 p.m. near a river, also killed a pumpboat operator and wounded seven people, including Ipi and commander Dagadas Alim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s 118th Base Command, said Senior Supt. Marcelo Pintac, Maguindanao provincial police director.

“Hindi pa malaman kung paano nangyari dahil ayaw magsalita ng victims. Hindi pa rin malaman ng EOD kung ano ‘yung sumabog kasi sa may ilog nangyari, sa tubig bumagsak ‘yung fragments,” Pintac said.

The police official was on his way to the hospital as of this writing, to look at the fragments removed from Ipi’s body.

“He (Ipi) was placed under arrest because there is a warrant against him,” Pintac said.

Ipi, whose arrest fetches a P300,000 reward, became the 96th suspect in the massacre to fall into the hands of authorities. One hundred other suspects are still at large, according to police. (John Roson)

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