DOJ assures Maguindanao massacre kin of expediting trial vs accused

Department of Justice. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Department of Justice (DOJ) assured relatives of victims of the Maguindanao massacre that they will do what they can to expedite the trial against over 100 accused including those belonging to the prominent Ampatuan family.

“The DOJ reiterates its commitment in the quest for the elusive justice of the families of the victims. We will do all that we can to make the wheels of justice turn faster not only in this case but in other cases,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Wednesday.

READ: Palace admits justice elusive for Maguindanao Massacre victims

Maguindanao massacre happened on Nov. 23, 2009 where 58 people were killed including 32 journalists, the biggest number of members of the media killed in a single incident. Originally, there were 197 accused including 15 belonging to the Ampatuan clan. One accused was cleared for lack of probable cause, two were discharged as state witness and four including Andal Ampatuan Sr. died in detention. Currently, there are 106 arraigned accused undergoing trial.

READ: FAST FACTS: Maguindanao massacre

Aguirre said the DOJ family join the relatives of the victims in praying “not only for the eternal repose of the souls of the deceased but we also pray that those who are left behind will not only get the justice that they deserve but that they may find the grace to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives.”

Records from the Supreme Court showed that as of Nov. 23, 2016, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 already heard a total of 232 witnesses—131 from the prosecution, 58 private complainants and 43 from the defense.

The trial court under Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes has resolved all the 12 sets of formal offer of evidence (FOE) in connection with the bail applications of 69 accused. All bail applications have already been resolved except that of Andal Ampatuan Jr. which was submitted for resolution only last October 14.

The defense is already presenting its evidence in chief.

Nine of the accused, who were the subject of the first batch of defense FOEs resolved by the court on June 13, have already either presented their defense evidence or filed a demurrer to evidence.

The second batch of defense FOEs, involving 45 of the accused, has already been resolved on November 15. The initial presentation of the defense evidence of these 45 accused will start on January 19, 2017. RAM