Ampatuan kin emotional as they paid last respects to pa–lawyer

Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the children of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and coaccused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, is emotional as he pays his last respects to the family patriarch at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, on Saturday, according to lawyer Salvador Panelo. AFP/FILE PHOTO

The detained children of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. were “emotional” as they paid their last respects to their father at Camp Bagong Diwa on Saturday morning.

Lawyer Salvador Panelo, legal counsel of the Ampatuans, said the late Ampatuan patriarch was taken briefly to the police facility in Taguig City from National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City.

Panelo said the remains of Ampatuan Sr. stayed at Camp Bagong Diwa for almost an hour before being transported to Maguindanao via a Philippine Airlines flight past 9 a.m.

“Nagkaroon ng emosyonal na pagyakap at paghalik ’yung tatlong anak niyang naroon,” he said in an interview over dzIQ Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

Ampatuan Sr. was one of the primary suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre that killed 58 people, including 32 journalists. Three of his coaccused are his children Andal Jr., Anwar and Zaldy.

Ampatuan Sr. was brought to NKTI on June 5 because of liver cancer and was transferred to the intensive care unit on July 13.

He died on Friday night after days of being in comatose.

The Ampatuan patriarch was buried on Saturday afternoon inside the compound of his mansion in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

Last words

According to Panelo, the Ampatuan family regrets that their patriarch has not been able to appear before the court to defend himself.

“Ang regret lang nila at pati na rin ako ay hindi ko siya nailagay sa upuan ng hukuman upang tumestigo,” Panelo said.

Before he was brought to the intensive care unit, Panelo said Ampatuan Sr. told him that he wanted to recover so that he could testify before the court.

“Sinabi niya sa akin na gusto niyang gumaling upang makaupo siya sa hukuman upang mailahad niya ang katotohanan at pang-frame up sa kanila at mga kasinungalingan ng testigo ng gobyerno laban sa kanila,” he said.

While the family patriarch will be spared of criminal liability, the other Ampatuans who are accused of involvement in the Maguindanao massacre will still face the charges against them.