UPDATE: Court finds members of Ampatuan clan guilty
Credit to Author: Jan Arcilla| Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 03:49:26 +0000
A QUEZON City court convicted Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr., the primary suspect in the decade-old Maguindanao massacre case, and his brothers, guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
In the dispositive portion of the 761-page consolidated decision that was read on Thursday, Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes sentenced Ampatuan Jr., brothers former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Datu Zaldy “Puti” Ampatuan, and Anwar Ampatuan Sr. to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in prison.
However, three other members of the Ampatuan clan, Sajid Islam Ampatuan, Datu Akmad Tato Ampatuan, and Jimmy Ampatuan, were acquitted. Sajid Islam is out on bail.
Court finds members of Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao massacre case guilty. @TheManilaTimes #MaguindanaoMassacre #MaguindanaoMassacreVerdict #Maguindanao
— Lynette Luna (@tmtlynetteluna) December 19, 2019
The court also ordered the convicts to pay the victims’ heirs, including Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, whose wife and two sisters were among the 58 individuals, including 32 journalists, killed on Nov. 23, 2009.
The death of 32 journalists is considered the worst single act committed against the media. WITH A REPORT FROM ARIC JOHN SY CUA