Judgment day
Credit to Author: Jomar Canlas, TMT| Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2019 16:15:11 +0000
TEN years after the country’s most repulsive crime was committed in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao, the verdict will finally be handed by a judge who will go down in history as the magistrate who handled the biggest massacre case with the most number of accused.
Judges, justices and legal experts interviewed by The Manila Times expect the court to decide against the accused.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and the prosecutors are optimistic that members of the Ampatuan clan will be found guilty.
“As to the principal accused, I am confident. But I am not sure if everyone else will be convicted,” Guevarra told The Times in a text message.
The crime was brazen and gruesome: 58 people were mowed down, 32 of them journalists.
They were then buried in a shallow grave, using heavy equipment prepositioned at the scene of the crime, based on the narration of witnesses.
Well-placed sources of The Manila Times said the verdict on former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government Zaldy Ampatuan might swing both ways.
Zaldy denied any involvement in the massacre and once offered to testify against his kin. He never did.
Guevarra agreed that Zaldy’s case could be considered a “gray” area and thus, he was not certain if the former governor would be convicted.
The promulgation of the decision will be beamed live to Filipinos nationwide as the Supreme Court had allowed live media coverage.
As of Tuesday, 435 local and international journalists have been given permission to witness the court procedure at the Quezon City Jail Annex at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said although no threat was monitored, it would impose strict security protocols.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) would also be on alert, according to PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac.
“The PNP urges the public to remain calm, but alert and vigilant,” Banac said in a statement.
“Whatever the verdict, the PNP will assure that the decision of the court will be upheld,” he added.
Too long
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said the victims’ wait for justice had taken too long thus, a verdict was overdue.
“Matagal na itong hustisyang hinihingi ng mga Maguindanao massacre victims. Panahon na para maibigay ito sa kanila. Managot ang dapat managot (They have waited for justice long enough. It’s time for them to get the justice they seek. Those involved in the crime should pay),” he said.
He disclosed that he and President Rodrigo Duterte played a role in identifying the location of the massacre site.
In earlier interviews, Maguindanao Second District Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu said the President was one of the first public officials to provide assistance to the victims of the massacre. Duterte, then the mayor of Davao City, provided the helicopter that ferried authorities to the site of the carnage.
Go decried the slow pace of justice.
“Ten years ago na po iyon. Talagang nakakapanghina ang justice system natin. Sobrang tagal (That happened 10 years ago. Our justice system can sap our strength. It’s too slow),” he said.
The senator added that he is optimistic that those involved in the crime would be found guilty.
“Hindi pwedeng walang managot. Kung sino ang may pakana, may plano, dapat managot.
Dapat magkaroon ng hustisya lalo na sa mga media people. Dapat panagutan nila at pagdusahan kung sakaling kasama sila sa may sala (They should pay. Whoever planned it and those who were involved should be held liable. They should pay for their crime),” he said.
With DARWIN PESCO