Mangudadatu vows to keep fighting for justice for massacre victims

Maguindanao provincial Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu looks at mug shots of suspects in the Maguindanao massacre. AP FILE PHOTO

AMPATUAN, Maguindanao, Philippines — Governor Esmael Mangudadatu has vowed to keep seeking justice for the 58 people who died in the Nov. 23, 2009, massacre right here in this town.

“Even if I’m only the one left fighting, I will continue,” Mangudadatu said in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Mangudadatu, however, will not be alone in his fight as relatives of the media workers who were killed in the massacre vowed to do the same.

On Thursday (November 21), families of the murdered media workers from the cities of General Santos and Koronadal visited the massacre site in Barangay (village) Salman here where they held a mass, lit candles and offered flowers.

The group decided to visit two days before the actual commemoration, saying it would be too crowded on Saturday.

“It still hurts when we come here,” Nancy dela Cruz, mother of victim Gina dela Cruz, said.

Dela Cruz said she and her group would “fight the case to the end.”

Mangudadatu has said he will visit the massacre site on Saturday. He lost his wife Ginalyn, two sisters, relatives and supporters in the massacre. Thirty-two media workers were among those killed. The group was in a convoy on its way to Shariff Aguak town to file Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor.

It was the first time somebody challenged the Ampatuan’s hold to power in the province. Andal Ampatuan Jr., then mayor of Datu Unsay town, was seeking to replace his father Andal Sr. in the governor’s post.

Witnesses said Andal Sr. allegedly ordered his namesake to stop the convoy in Ampatuan town. The bodies of the victims, including several civilians who were just passing by the Ampatuan town highway, were found buried on a hill in the interior village of Salman.

Andal Sr. and his sons, Andal Jr., then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Zaldy Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, are in jail while facing trial in connection with the carnage.

The Ampatuans continue holding key positions in several towns.

Zaldy’s wife Bai Jahaira was elected mayor of Datu Hofer town, while Andal’s wife, Reshal, is mayor of Datu Unsay. Anwar’s wife, Zahara is mayor of Shariff Aguak town. Aside from the wives, other clan members also won as mayors – Benzar Ampatuan of Mamasapano town, Bai Sandria Sinsuat-Ampatuan of Shariff Saydona Mustapha and Zamzamin Ampatuan of Rajah Buayan.

Mangudadatu, however, called Zahara and Zamzamin as “good Ampatuans,” working with him in the implementation of the provincial government’s services.

The governor admitted to the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he has not gone to the “Ampatuan towns” for security purposes since the massacre.

“Naandon pa rin mga galamay nila (Their minions are still there),” he said.

Mangudadatu cited reports he received that suspects in the massacre have been seen freely moving around Datu Unsay town.

But Mangudadatu seemed not surprised, saying a police officer in Maguidanao, was being too close to the Ampatuans.

“There was a time when the police officer was seen using a pick-up truck owned by Andal Jr.,” he said.

This same vehicle, he said, was used during the massacre.

He said the Department of Interior and Local Government has not acted on his request to have the police officer replaced.

Mangudadatu said he has been relying on the military and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in arresting the remaining massacre suspects.

“If these groups (military and CIDG) operate, they surely catch some of the suspects,” he said.

Rowena Paraan, chairperson of the National Union of Journalist in the Philippines, called on President Aquino to make good of his campaign promise to expedite the resolution of the case.

Paraan also said that aside from seeking justice for the victims, they have been challenging the government “to address the problem of warlordism and the existence of private armies and political patronage which resulted in the massacre.”

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