Maguindanao massacre carnage site in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town in Maguindanao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — With the fifth anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre nearing, Malacañang on Sunday expressed its hope that the case will be resolved soon.
“The Aquino administration is one with our fellowmen in hoping that justice would be served with the conclusion of the trial,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said over Radyo ng Bayan.
However, he explained that the Judiciary is a separate branch of government.
“The case is still being heard by a special court under the regional trial court of Quezon City and the latest development is that Secretary Leila de Lima herself will directly supervise the prosecution to improve the coordination of the Department of Justice and the private prosecutors,” he said.
He said De Lima’s decision was meant to expedite the trial of a crime, which happened back in 2009.
However, he said it is the court’s decision if some of the suspects will be allowed to post bail.
On November 23, 2009, 58 people on their way to observe the filing of the certificate of candidacy of a local politician, were killed in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao. Their bodies were later found buried in a mass grave. Thirty two of the victims were media practitioners. Accused of committing the massacre were former Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his relatives.
November 2, 2014 marks the first International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
Coloma said journalists in the Philippines no longer suffer from censorship or repression by the government.
He said the Aquino administration has created in 2012 an inter-agency committee on extralegal killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave human rights violations.
“In the past four years, the government was relentless in its pursuit of those who are involved in extrajudicial killings in the country,” he said, citing the recent arrest of accused human rights violator retired Major General Jovito Palparan.
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