Kin of Ampatuan Massacre victims: nothing on justice in PNOy’s SONA

DAVAO CITY — Relatives of the 58 victims of the November 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan, Maguin-danao waited for the President to say something about the case in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), as he promised them justice when he assumed post in 2010.

The massacre was mentioned – in fact it was the 12th paragraph out of a 190-paragraph SONA – but it was more about how the previous administration under then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, allowed it to happen.

In Filipino, the President said: “Every government official takes an oath to do right by our countrymen and to uphold the law. But it was clear: our predecessor did precisely the opposite. We were all witnesses to the most appalling example, when 58 Filipinos were massacred in Maguin-danao in November 2009. To think about committing such a crime was already heinous. To do it, which they did, was even worse. The worst offense of all: Their belief that they could get away with it, because they were in power—which is why they carried out their plans in the first place. These are only a few examples; there are many others.”

Reynafe Momay-Cas-tillo, whose father Reynaldo Momay, a photographer of Midland Courier in Tacuong City, was among the victims, told MindaNews Tuesday that she and other families of the massacre victims are asking “what happened to the President’s promise to give us justice within his administration? What can he do about the case in his last 11 months in office?”

Castillo said the CCTVs that they had requested for placement in the detention center of the Ampatuans have not been installed and unannounced visits not granted even as the Ampatuans are reportedly given special treatment. A total of 197 persons, including several members of the Ampatuan clan were arrested and detained for the massacre of 58 persons, among them the patriarch, three-term Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatu-an, Sr.; Andal Ampatuan, Jr., then mayor of Datu Unsay town; then ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan; then Shariff Aguak mayor An-war Ampatuan; and the youngest sibling Sajid, who was elected vice governor of his father-governor in 2007. The 2009 massacre was the worst pre-election related violence in the country’s history.

Andal Sr., succumbed to liver cancer on July 17 at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City. His remains were buried at the back of his mansion in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao early afternoon of July 18. Ampatuan, Sr., who passed away earlier this month.

Of the 197 accused, four have died (two in detention including Ampatu-an, Sr.; two at large), while the case against one policeman was dismissed. (Minda News)