The families of the slain journalists in the infamous Maguindanao massacre hailed Wednesday the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) to junk the petition of former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to exclude him from the multiple murder charges earlier filed against the suspects in the carnage.
Myrna Reblando, vice chair of the Justice Now Movement (JNM), said the CA has proven that the charges against the Ampatuan patriarch and other massacre suspects are solid and were backed by strong evidences.
“We welcome the decision of the court denying his request. He has been directly implicated in the massacre,†said Mrs. Reblando, wife of slain Manila Bulletin reporter Alejandro “Bong†Reblando.
She also noted that the former governor purportedly played a crucial role through the discovery of the backhoe owned by the Maguindanao provincial government at the massacre site.
The backhoe was allegedly used by the suspects led by the governor’s son and former Datu Unsay, Maguindanao mayor Andal Jr., in burying the victims at a hilly portion of Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town on November 23, 2009.
At least 58 people, including 32 journalists, were killed in the massacre.
Ricardo Cachuela, JNM chairperson, said they are happy that the elder Ampatuan was not excluded as a massacre suspect.
“We’re hoping that the arraignment for him and the others will soon follow,†Cachuela said.
Maria Priscilla Reblando, daughter of Reblando, stressed that Ampatuan should rot in jail.
“He must not be excluded in the multiple murder charges. He was part of the planning as testified by a witness,†the daughter said.
Without the “blessing†of the Ampatuan patriarch, Priscilla said the gory crime that shocked the world would not have happened.
The former governor, in effect, is the “mastermind of that massacre,†Priscilla said.
Lakmudin Saliao, reportedly a longtime house help of the Ampatuans, earlier testified that the clan patriarch was “on top of the whole thing.â€
Ampatuan’s request to be excluded from the massacre case was junked Monday by the Court of Appeals’ Special 11th Division.
“After a careful scrutiny of the records of this case, we find and so hold that there is no grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of the Department of Justice…On this note, the petitioner’s main petition, as well as the supplemental petition, must therefore necessarily fail for lack of merit,†portions of the 27-page decision read.
Associate Justice Noel Tijam penned the decision and concurred by Associate Justices Antonio Villamor and Amy Lazaro-Javier.
Ampatuan is currently detained at a maximum prison facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, along with massacre principal suspect Andal Jr,
Other clan members who are currently detained in connection with the massacre are suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, former Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, former Maguindanao Vice Gov. Sajid Ampatuan and former Mamasapano Mayor Akmad Ampatuan.
The Ampatuan town massacre was the worst election-related violence in the country and the single largest attack against the media anywhere else.
Former Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu had sent his wife and several relatives to file his certificate of candidacy for governor when flagged down and eventually slaughtered in Ampatuan town. The media workers were there to cover the filing. - PNA
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