Maguindanao Massacre
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| Maguindanao Massacre | ||||||
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| 36 people killed in Mindanao
Massacre survivors point to the Ampatuans Palace 'shocked and outraged' by Maguindanao slay, orders manhunt Maguindanao massacre no arrests yet |
The Maguindanao Massacre refers to the election-related mass killing of at least 57 people, many of them members or supporters of the Mangudadatu Clan in Maguindanao. The victims, which included some of the clan's family members, as well as journalists, lawyers and civilians were on their way to the town of Shariff Aguak to file a certificate of candidacy on behalf of Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Datu Ismail "Toto" Mangudadatu, who was running for governor in the province, when they were abducted and later killed by heavily armed men allegedly belonging to the Ampatuan Clan.
[edit] Time Line
[edit] Filing of Certificate of Candidacy
Believing that women would not be harmed in accordance with Islamic laws, Mangudadatu sent his wife and two sisters on Monday, 23 November 2009 to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) on his behalf. To further ensure their safety, he also encouraged several Mindanao journalists and lawyers to accompany them. At 9:00 a.m., together with some unarmed supporters and staff of the Mangudadatus, the convoy proceeded to the Comelec office in Shariff Aguak, a known turf of their rivals, the Ampatuans.
[edit] Flagged Down
The convoy was on its way to the Comelec office to file the COC when it was flagged down at around 10:30 a.m. at a checkpoint on the Cotabato-Isulan Highway in Barangay Kauran, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, by some 100 heavily armed men allegedly led by Datu Unsay municipal mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr.. The people were forcibly taken out of the vehicles and brought to Barangay Salman, still in Ampatuan, where they were presumably killed. Mangudadatu's wife, Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, managed to call her husband to inform him that they were being flagged down by armed men before her call was cut off. At 11:30, Mangudadatu received news that six of the passengers had already been killed.
[edit] Confirmed Dead
As early as 11:30 p.m., news of the incident had already reached the military and local police officials, who immediately dispatched troops to rush to the site and control the area. Hours later, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Office chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner confirmed that ground troops had recovered 21 bodies – 13 women and eight men – from a grave site in Barangay Saniag, Ampatuan. Three vehicles owned by the Mangudadatu’s were found abandoned and burned. According to some reports the victims were believed to be shot at random, and some were decapitated with chainsaws. The killers were also said to have used a backhoe to dig the mass graves where the victims were buried. Local officials were still uncertain if some were still being held hostage or had already been murdered.
[edit] Political Motivation
Hours later, Toto Mangudadatu accused Ampatuan Clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan, Sr. and son Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan as the brains behind the mass killing based on what his wife Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, who was among those killed, had told him. Mangudadatu said that his wife had managed to call on his cellphone and had informed him that armed men from the Ampatuans had stopped their convoy and that their companions were being dragged out of the vehicles. The Ampatuans are a known political rivals of the Mangudadatus.
[edit] Survivors
Mangudadatu later revealed that there were four survivors from the massacre whose names they would not divulge for safety reasons. He said that the survivors, who will testify as witnesses are under their care and protection. He claimed that the survivors had witnessed [[]Datu Unsay]] municipal Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., another son of Ampatuan Sr. and Zaldy Ampatuan’s brother, approach the vehicle where his wife, Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, was riding and made her get out.
On the second day of retrieval operation, police and military recovered at least 24 more bodies of the victims, bringing the number of casualties to 46, easily the worst pre-election violence in the country.
[edit] Media Organizations Condemn the Massacre
On 24 November 2009, after information about the massacre hit the news, media organizations condemned the brutal massacre in Maguindanao and demanded that government and its security forces move swiftly to resolve the crisis and ensure that no harm befall the other hostages. National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) stated that the taking hostage of journalists is already an assault on the Constitution itself and on the freedom of the press and of expression which it enshrines. International media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said that "never in the history of journalism have the news media suffered such a heavy loss of life in one day."
[edit] Malacañang Orders "Relentless Pursuit"
After a closed-door meeting with security officials in Malacañang, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo through Proclamation 1946 placed the entire provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency on 24 November 2009.. Arroyo also ordered the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and vowed that they would be brought to justice for their acts. Minutes later, the military launched air and ground operations around the provinces. The President assigned Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Jesus Dureza as head of the crisis team that would handle the investigation and contain the situation.
Meanwhile, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) encouraged all media practitioners to wear black ribbons and armbands to highlight their outrage over the killing of their colleagues. KBP also sought this gesture as a show of solidarity with families of the slain media workers.
[edit] Most Dangerous Place
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has tagged the Philippines as the most dangerous place in the world for media workers. IFJ said that at least 74 journalists have been killed during the present administration's eight-year tenure, yet the government has not acted to end the culture of impunity. It said that at last count, only four convictions had been secured. At least 12 journalists were reported killed in the massacre.
[edit] Resolutions Filed
On 25 November 2009, Senators Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and Manuel Roxas II filed a resolution urging the Senate to investigate and condemn in the strongest possible terms the massacre that happened in Maguindanao. The senators, who are also the presidential and vice presidential bet of the Liberal Party in the coming 2010 polls, also urged their colleagues to conduct an inquiry into the "unparalleled and gruesome" incident, so that the chamber could propose legislative measures to stop the violence in the provinces.
On the other hand, Maguindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan appealed to both Christian and Muslim communities not to pre-judge their family based on speculations surrounding the massacre. In an emailed statement, Ampatuan said that people must instead allow authorities to finish their investigation and identify the culprits as well as the real motive for the attack.
[edit] List of Victims, Affiliations
Members of the Mangudadatu clan who were confirmed killed were:
- Eden Mangudadatu (the vice mayor’s sister)
- Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, (the vice mayor’s wife)
- Lawyer Connie Brizuela
- Lawyer Cynthia Oquendo
- Cynthia Oquendo’s father
- Bai Farinah Mangudadatu
- Faridah Sabdulah
- Manguba Bai Mangudadatu (Toto’s aunt)
- Farida Mangudadatu (Toto’s youngest sister)
The journalists killed have been identified as:
- Ian Toblan
- Leah Dalmacio
- Gina dela Cruz
- Joy Duhay
- Andy Teodoro
- Mac-Mac Areola
- Bart Maravilla (Bombo Radyo Koronadal)
- Henry Araneta (dzRH Cotabato)
- Bong Reblando (Manila Bulletin)
- Neneng Montano (local radio dxCP)
Also reported killed were:
- Rasul Daud (Mangudadatu’s driver)
- Wahida Ali Kaliman
- Farida Sabdula
- Zorayda Vernan
- Victor Nuñez
- Zaida Abdul
- Pinky Balayman
- Ella Balayman
- Rahima Piopo
- Abdullah Hajji
- Patrick Pamansan
- Meriam Calicol
- A certain ‘Unto,’ and
- A certain ‘Chito’
There were some more bodies recovered that are yet to be identified.
[edit] War Spillover
On 25 November 2009, residence of Davao City expressed fear that the clan war between the Mangudadatus and the Ampatuans would be brought to the city. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said the two rival clans had already sought assistance from him for protection of the members of their respective families. The Magudadatus and Ampatuans are from the neighboring provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao but both clans have houses and mansions in Davao City, some three to five hours away by car. Most of their children or grandchildren go to school in Davao City.
[edit] Death Toll Climbing
At the end of 25 November 2009, military and police retrieval teams discovered two more 15-foot deep mass graves which yielded 11 more bodies. Chief Supt. Josefino Cataluna, regional police chief, said two of the newly dug-up bodies were inside two vehicles. Another van was also recovered from the same grave. Officials believed that some bodies recovered were not associated to the convoy, proving earlier reports that some innocent civilians were killed, too.
[edit] Ampatuan Jr. Surrenders
In the morning of 26 November 2009 Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the key suspect of the murder, surrendered to authorities. Ampatuan Jr., accompanied by Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on Mindanao, arrived in General Santos at 12:25 p.m. and was handed over to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera who would bring the local official to Manila.
Prosecutors filed 25 murder charges against Ampatuan in southern Cotabato city. The five prosecutors handling the murder case carried two boxloads of evidence and affidavits from witnesses from Manila to Cotabato city aboard two air force helicopters. They claimed that the evidence was strong, stating that at least 10 witnesses provided written testimonies linking Ampatuan to the killings. They, however, are expected to ask the court to try the case in Manila for security reasons. Prosecutors and other personnel involved has allegedly received death threats from unidentified people since the case was brought to them.
[edit] Militiamen admit roles in massacre
On 2 December 2009, Philippine National Police presented to the DOJ two militiamen who had admitted to taking part in the massacre. During inquest, Civilian Volunteers Organization members Esmael Canapia and Takpan Dilon said they took part in the killing of supporters and relatives of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu and several journalists in Ampatuan, claiming they just followed the order of the Ampatuans.
[edit] Unconstitutional
On 3 December 2009, Zaldy Ampatuan asked the Supreme Court to declare State of Emergency unconstitutional which President Arroyo had declared a day after the gruesome massacre. He also called on the SC to declare as illegal the President’s order to suspend all ARMM officials. Ampatuan, who is represented by prominent lawyer Sigfrid Fortun, argued the presidential orders violated the constitutional provision that gives autonomy to local government units.
[edit] Security Reasons
Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QCRTC) Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Branch 221 was picked to handle the case after QCRTC Branch 84 Presiding Judge Luisito Cortez immediately inhibited from handling the case for security reasons. Prior to his refusal, courts in Maguindanao had previously refused to take the case, citing the same reason.
[edit] Ampatuan Pleaded Not Guilty
At the arraignment, Andal Ampatuan Jr. pleaded not guilty to 41 counts of murder. Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes rejected the bid of lawyer Sigfrid Fortun, Ampatuan Jr.'s counsel, to have a preliminary conference of the case. As bail hearing proceeded, head of the National Bureau of Investigation’s counter-terrorism unit Ricardo Diaz took the witness stand, describing the procedures he took while in Maguindanao including taking the testimonies of five witnesses and photographing the crime scene, among others.
[edit] References
- 36 people beheaded in Maguindanao. The Philippine Online Chronicles. (Accessed on 25 November 2009).
- Black armbands symbolize media protest over Maguindanao. GMA News TV. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Massacre survivors point to Ampatuans. The Philippine Online Chronicles. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Maguindanao Massacre. Yahoo News. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Senate resolution seeking probe on Maguindanao massacre filed. GMA News TV. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- RP now the world's most dangerous place for media workers. GMA News TV. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Ampatuan: Let's not speculate. Philippine Star. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Palace shocked and outraged by Maguindanao. The Philippine Online Chronicles. (Accessed on 25 November 2009)
- Maguindanao massacre death toll climbs to 57. News Info Inquirer. (Accessed on 26 November 2009).
- Witnesses surfaces tags Ampatuan. Philippine Daily Inquirer. (Accessed on 7 January 2010).
- Martial Law weakens murder case vs. Ampatuan. ABS-CBN News. (Accessed on 7 January 2010).
[edit] Citation
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