Ampatuans and Their Political Coddlers Must Be Brought to Justice

The Maguindanao massacre which killed 57 unarmed individuals including 22 women, media people and human rights lawyers defies what modern civilization could take or comprehend. Everyday, as the details of how the most horrible crime unfolds in pages of various papers and television screens, there is no way to stop the seething and outrage over the mass murder that could have been avoided if private armies are not condoned, allowed to accumulate arms, and warlordism is not treated with kid gloves particularly by the Arroyo government. In various occasions, these private armies have been used and instrumental in placing favored politicians not only at the local but also at the national level to power and in keeping that power by any means.
It can be recalled for instance, that in the last 2007 senatorial elections, results in Maguindanao were highly controversial because the administration slate (Lakas-NUCD-Kampi) won over the opposition in an unbelievable 12-0 margin. --- Even military officers later exposed the massive cheating in the 2004 presidential election that happened in Mindanao, and the officers who made the exposè was court martialled and hounded.

CTUHR condemns in its strongest term the massacre, an unparalleled monstrosity that is both haunting and dangerous.  Haunting, because not only it exhibits the violent political environment that has long characterized the elections but also the culture of impunity that exists in the country. Equally, it is dangerous because the massacre and the means by which it was committed further re-affirmed the alarm that we have been sounding off for several years: that the government cannot stop the killings because its forces, and resources are involved and behind them, as in the case of Maguindanao massacre.

Recent investigation of the massacre revealed that high power weapons (such as anti-tank weapons, assault rifles and machine guns) issued no less than by the government were only a few hundred meters back of the Ampatuans’ residence instead of  them being placed in a government armory.   

Four senior police officers were also implicated for trying to cover up the mass murder. Namely they are: Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, Senior Inspector Ariel Diongon, a certain Inspector Mariga, and Inspector Saudi Mokamad. The latter is actually suspected to be as one of the gunmen.  Militiamen who were serving as security of the Ampatuan clan were also said to be involved in the crime. The backhoe that dug the mass grave four days before the killing was reportedly operated by a employee of the municipal’s engineering office.

And the Arroyo administration apparently did nothing to prevent this blatant and massive abuse of government resources, personnel, and state power by the Amputuans. This is because the clan was rendered overly powerful by the administration as a payback for the benefits Arroyo gained in the last 2004 and 2007 elections in the Ampatuans’ turf.

Ominous

It is horrendous to see that in the first official day of the election period, a crime of such magnitude had been committed. It is an ominous sign of what the 2010 elections could become if the perpetrators are not brought to justice and their political bosses are also held accountable.

Although the Ampatuans were expelled from administration party amidst the public outrage, we think that the gesture was more of saving the party from sinking further, rather than an act in pursuit of justice for the victims.

We are also alarmed by the statement of media groups that investigation on the killings of 28 journalists that were part of the convoy was not thorough. We are more alarmed by reports (dec 3)  that despite the show of force by the military in the areas, organizations and individuals including  forensic experts investigating the crime scene are also hounded by suspicious men. If this is not gross inability of the government to protect its people from private armies, then we don’t know what it is.

In addition, while it is positive development that formal charges are filed against Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr and other members of Ampatuan clan, no arrest has been made. The next few days will test if the Arroyo administration will have the strength to arrest the other Ampatuans, its long time allies. Most importantly, justice for the victims could be best achieved if those prosecuted and brought to justice are not just the Ampatuans and their thugs, but their political coddlers in the highest level of the government.

Lastly, CTUHR shares the grief and anger by the families of victims, and we shall continue to join the efforts and vow to do our share in the quest for justice.

Martial Law Declared

Just last night (Friday, December 4), the Arroyo government declared martial law in Maguindanao purportedly to stop violence that can be unleashed by the Ampatuan clan once they are arrested.  CTUHR believes that imposing martial rule is not the answer. Rather, it will only aggravate the situation and invite more hostility in Maguindanao which can possibly spread all over ARMM and Mindanao. More importantly, the new proclamation will definitely not ensure a thorough and impartial investigation as it will only limit public access to information and public scrutiny of the case’s progress.#