Andal Sr odered the killing of Mangudadatus, witness claims

- Wednesday, December 16

“Kill them all." This was the order that Andal Ampatuan Sr., the patriarch of the powerful and Arroyo-allied Ampatuan clan, allegedly gave on November 22, the day before the gory massacre of 57 people took place in Maguindanao.

In his affidavit submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Kenny Dalandag, a member of the Ampatuans’ private army, narrated that on that day, Andal Sr. met with Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, Sajid Ampatuan, Anwar Ampatuan, Saudi Ampatuan Jr., Ban and Ulo Ampatuan inside his mansion. His alleged order: “Kung dumaan ang mga Mangudadatu, ubusin sila lahat, pati mga bata, walang itirang buhay kahit isa (If the Mangudadatus pass through, wipe them out, including the children, don’t leave anyone alive)." Dalandag’s affidavit was the subject of a report by GMA News’ John Consulta, aired over the “24 Oras" news program. 'Son, you know what you must do'

On the day of the bloodbath, vice mayor Rasul Sangki, who claimed to have witnessed the killing, said he overheard Andal Sr. reminding his son and namesake Andal Jr. of what to do with the Mangudadatus, their rival political clan. In a separate affidavit, Sangki said Andal Jr. radioed his father after receiving information from Police Inspector Sukarno Dicay, deputy chief of the Maguindanao provincial police office, that the convoy had already been intercepted in Sitio Malating.

Andal Jr. even asked Dicay if any in the convoy was armed, to which Dicay replied in the negative and said they were mostly women. "Father, they're already here," Andal Jr. allegedly told his father. "Son, you already know what you must do," Andal Sr. replied. Then Datu Unsay (Andal Jr.’s native name) pulled two women out of the van, according to Sangki, who identified them as Bai Eden and Bai Farina, both sisters of Buluan vice mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu. "(Andal Jr.) forcibly dragged them and loaded them in a black (Toyota) Revo owned by Datu Kanor Ampatuan," Sangki said. Dalandag said Andal Jr. also dragged Mangudadatu's wife, Bai Gigi, out of the car. "She was holding a cellphone as if talking to somebody, Datu Unsay slapped her," Dalandag said, adding he witnessed the actual killing and how the victims were buried using a backhoe. Victims shot almost pointblank

After pulling out the female Mangudadatus, Andal Jr. then positioned himself two meters away from the victims and aimed his high powered gun at them. "Then (he) started shooting the victims as soon as they were brought in front of him, some were already on their knees, crying and shouting for mercy," said Sangki. "In fact, one media known to Datu Unsay who fondly called him 'Pal-ak' pleaded for his life but still (Andal Jr.) shot him to death," Sangki added, referring to Jimmy Cabillo of the Midland Review, who was one of the 31 journalists killed on November 23. But the pleas were left unheard. Andal Jr. even kept on shooting at the bodies while laughing at the top of his voice, according to Sangki. "Datu Kanor, the vice mayor of Salibo, Maguindanao, Datu Banarin Ampatuan, the vice mayor of Mamasapano, Maguindanao, Parido Zangkalagogo and Datu Mama Ampatu arrived at the scene and joined Datu Unsay in shooting the victims," Sangki said.

The witness accounts by Dalandag and Sangki appear to agree with the sworn statements made by key witness PO1 Rainer Ebus, which revealed the relative positions of the suspects within the crime scene before, during and after the victims were gunned down. [See: Andal Jr mowed down victims with K3 gun, witness tells CIDG] The camp of Mangudadatu, meanwhile, welcomed the testimonies.

"We are very happy with what is going on with the case. We are very sure that they will be appearing in trial as soon as the cases information are filed in court," said Nena Santos, legal counsel for the Mangudadatus.

Richard Fadullon, assistant chief prosecutor of the Justice Department, for his part said the government would have to go over the records to see if they need to subpoena those that were implicated in the affidavits.

Can Peace be Achieved in Maguindanao?

Can Peace be Achieved in Maguindanao?

MANILA, Philippines - The Maguindanao massacre was triggered by two clans' struggle to gain power over the province.

This kind of conflict is not exclusive in Maguindanao but local leaders in other provinces have found a way to maintain peace among clans.

In an interview on ANC's Talkback with Tina Palma on Monday, Sarangani Governor Miguel Dominguez said their peace program not only involved residents but local authorities and insurgents as well.

"First thing we did was invest in the culture of peace training where we invested in leaders and developed what we call peace and development advocates in every barangay, even went to the extent training our army, police together with the MILF..." Dominguez said.

Sarangani was among the recipients of the "Galing Pook Award" for its peace efforts.

The Galing Pook Foundation honors yearly outstanding practices of local government units ranging from peace and conflict resolution to environmental management.

Another awardee is Tabuk in Kalinga Province where Mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr. combined traditional ways of resolving conflict with local government institutions.

"Ten years ago Tabuk was dubbed as the most dangerous place in the Cordilleras because of so many killings, tribal vendettas... so we helped organize all these tribes. A tribe has Bodong holders, the peace pot holders... so we had to organize these Bodong holders and have to meet them thru Bodong warming wherein two tribes meet again, renew their peace pact..." Lammawin Jr. said.

Former Congressman Nereus Acosta who is also a member of the National Selection Committee of Galing Pook said the awardees were successful in their peace efforts due to their innovations.

He however admits it could take time before peace can be achieved among the Ampatuans and Mangudadatus in Maguindanao.

When asked if martial law is the solution to the Maguindanao massacre, Dominguez said it is, so long as its implementation is only temporary.

"On the short term, as a party we support martial law, given we dismantle, disarm every single person in Maguindanao to level the playing field. Second, those responsible should be arrested and charged, once we achieve that, martial law should be lifted as soon as possible."

But Lammawin Jr. and Acosta are against it.

They believe government can solve the killings and prevent further violence without martial law.

Despite opposition from various sectors, martial law stays in effect in Maguindanao.

But whether or not this will actually solve the Maguindanao massacre and stop the violence in the province remains to be seen.

Victims

Victims

Mangudadatus

Name	Description
Genalyn Tiamson-Mangudadatu	Wife of Esmael Mangudadatu.
Eden Mangudadatu	Municipal Vice Mayor of Mangudadatu, Maguindanao, sister of Esmael Mangudadatu.
Rowena Mangudadatu
Manguba Mangudadatu	Aunt of Esmael Mangudadatu.[38]
Faridah Sabdulah	[38]
Farida Mangudadatu	Youngest sister of Esmael Mangudadatu.[38]
Farina Mangudadatu	Another sister of Esmael Mangudadatu.
Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela, 56	Lawyer.[39]
Cynthia Oquendo, 36	Lawyer.
Catalino Oquendo	Cynthia Oquendo's father.
Rasul Daud	Driver of Pax Mangudadatu.[38]

Journalists

Thirty-four journalists are known to have been abducted and killed in the massacre, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.^[3] Only 25 have been positively identified so far.^[3]

Name	Description
Alejandro "Bong" Reblando,[3] 53	Manila Bulletin correspondent,[40] a former Associated Press reporter.[41]
Henry Araneta	DZRH Correspondent based in General Santos City
Napoleon “Nap” Salaysay	DZRO manager.
Bartolome “Bart” Maravilla	Bombo Radyo Koronadal, South Cotabato.[3]
Jhoy Dojay	Goldstar Daily.[3]
Andy Teodoro	Mindanao Examiner & Central Mindanao Inquirer reporter.[3]
Ian Subang	Mindanao Focus, a General Santos-based weekly community newspaper.[3]
Leah Dalmacio	Mindanao Focus reporter.
Gina Dela Cruz	Mindanao Focus reporter.[3]
Maritess Cablitas	Mindanao Focus reporter.[3]
Neneng Montano	Saksi weekly newspaper reporter.[3]
Victor Nuñez	UNTV reporter.[3]
McDelbert "Macmac" Arriola	UNTV cameraman.[3]
Jolito Evardo	UNTV editor
Daniel Tiamson	UNTV driver
Humberto Mumay	Koronadal-based journalist.[3]
Rey Merisco	Koronadal-based journalist.[3]
Ronnie Perante	Koronadal-based journalist.[3]
Jun Legarta	Koronadal-based journalist.[3]
Val Cachuela	Koronadal-based journalist.[3]
Santos "Jun" Gatchalian	Davao-based journalist.
Joel Parcon	Freelance journalist.
Noel Decena	Freelance journalist.
John Caniba	Freelance journalist.
Art Betia	Freelance journalist.
Ranie Razon	Freelance journalist.
Archie Cancel	Freelance journalist.
Fernanado "Ferdz" Mendoza	Freelance driver.

Red Toyota Vios

Number of casualties: 5. They were supposedly mistaken as part of the convoy.^[42]

Name	Description
Eduardo Lechonsito	Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat government employee.
Cecille Lechonsito	Wife of Eduardo Lechonsito.
Mercy Palabrica	Co-worker of Eduardo Lechonsito.
Daryll delos Reyes	Co-worker of Eduardo Lechonsito.
Wilhelm Palabrica	Driver.

Declaration of martial law

Declaration of martial law

On December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No. 1959, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has officially placed Maguindanao province under a state of martial law.^[33] The declaration also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province. The announcement was made days after hundreds of government troops were sent to the province, which would later raid armories of the powerful Ampatuan clan. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the step was taken in order to avert the escalation of "lawless" violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the suspects in the massacre. ^[34][35]

Following the declaration, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr., the alleged mastermind of the massacre.^[36] The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 330,000 live rounds of M16 rifle ammunition, and the arrest of 20 militiamen. Also confiscated in the raid were several firearms, a military humvee and an improvised armored vehicle.^[37]

It was lifted on December 13, 2009.

Aftermath

Aftermath

In the aftermath, Nueva Ecija Rep. Eduardo Nonato N. Joson said the massacre might affect, or even lead to the cancellation of, the scheduled 2010 presidential elections.^[21] Candidates in the election condemned the massacre.^[23]

On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, the executive committee of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD political party unanimously voted to expel three members of the Ampatuan family - Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. - from the party for their alleged role in the Maguindanao massacre.^[24] An emergency meeting of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was held in Pasig, during which the Ampatuans were stripped of their membership.^[2]

On Thursday, November 26, 2009, Ampatuan Jr. surrendered to his brother Zaldy, was delivered to adviser to the peace process Jesus Dureza, then was flown to General Santos on his way to Manila, where he was taken to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters.^[25][26] Police in the Philippines charged Andal Ampatuan Jr. with murder.^[27] Ampatuan denied the charges, claiming that he was at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak when the massacre took place. He instead blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), specifically Ombra Kato, as the mastermind, a charge the MILF dismissed as "absurd."^[28][29]

Mangudadatu successfully filed his certificate of candidacy at Shariff Aguak on November 27. He was accompanied by Lakas-Kampi-CMD chairman and presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro, along with a caravan of 50 vehicles, to "ensure his safety."^[30]

On December 4, 2009 a number of homes belonging to the Ampatuan political family were raided in connection with the massacre.^[31]

After the incidents it was predicted by critics that the Philippines could find itself on the next edition of the list of failed states annually reported by the Fund for Peace's Failed States Index, if it continued to have such massacres, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

Among the worst mass killings earlier in the history of the Philippines are the Balangiga massacre of a whole American camp by Filipinos and the retaliation by General Jacob H. Smith in which all adults were killed and Samar was turned into a "howling wildness", the Lapiang Malaya massacre in Pasay in 1967, the Escalante, Negros Occidental massacre owing to labor unrest, in September 1984, the Mendiola massacre of peasants for land reform in 1987 and the Lupao, Nueva Ecija massacre during a military campaign against the New People's Army (NPA) in 1987

Attack

Attack

Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu invited 37 journalists to cover the scheduled filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections provincial office in Shariff Aguak. He said reports had reached him that his rivals had threatened to chop him into pieces once he filed his COC, and felt the presence of journalists would deter such an attack.

A local report stated that at about 9:00 AM, a convoy of six vehicles carrying journalists, lawyers, and relatives of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu left Buluan to file his COC at the Comelec office in Shariff Aguak. The convoy was composed of six vehicles: four Toyota Grandia vans (one grey, one green, and two white) owned by the Mangudadatu family; and two media vehicles – a Pajero owned by DZRH broadcast journalist Henry Araneta and a Mitsubishi L-300 van owned by UNTV. There was a seventh vehicle, a Grandia boarded by mediamen, but it lagged behind and decided to turn around once the passengers sensed what was happening. There were two other vehicles that were not part of the convoy but happened to be traveling on the same highway: a red Toyota Vios and a light blue Toyota Tamaraw FX. The Vios had five passengers: Eduardo Lechonsito, a government employee who was bound for a hospital in Cotabato City after suffering a mild stroke Monday morning. He was with his wife Cecille, co-workers Mercy Palabrica and Daryll delos Reyes, and driver Wilhelm Palabrica. The FX was driven by Anthony Ridao, employee of the National Statistics Coordination Board, and son of Cotabato City councilor Marino Ridao.

Before reaching its destination (about 10 km from Shariff Aguak, four on other versions), the convoy was stopped by 100 armed men, who abducted and later killed most or all of its members.^[3] There is evidence that at least five of the female victims, four of them journalists, were raped before being killed,^[9] while "practically all" of the women had been shot in their genitals^[10] and beheaded.^[11] Mangudadatu's youngest sister and aunt were both pregnant at the time of their murders.^[12]

In a text message sent by Mangudadatu's wife to him, she identified the people that blocked their way as the men of Ampatuan Jr, and that he himself slapped her.^[13] The female victims were shot in their genitals, according to Secretary of Justice Agnes Devanadera. According to Mangudadatu, his wife's "private parts were slashed four times, after which they fired a bullet into it." In addition, he said that "They speared both of her eyes, shot both her breasts, cut off her feet, fired into her mouth."^[14][15]

A backhoe located in the immediate vicinity of the carnage at Ampatuan town was identified as the instrument that was used to expediently dig the graves of the victims, including the vehicles. The perpetrators weren't able to complete the job when a helicopter was spotted in the area. The backhoe, emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., was later identified to belong to the Maguindanao provincial government.^[16]

As of November 25, the death toll had risen to 57, as confirmed by Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna of the Philippine National Police.^[17][18][19] Reporters Without Borders announced that at least 12 of the victims were journalists, making this the deadliest such incident in the history of news media.^[20] The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines originally estimated that a total of 20 journalists were killed, including an undisclosed number of NUJP members.^[18] The Philippine Daily Inquirer later updated the number of journalists killed to 34.^[3]

On November 24, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo responded to the news of the massacre by declaring a state of emergency in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City.^[19] Speaker of the House Prospero Nograles called on the police to quickly identify the perpetrators of the massacre and disarm private armies.^[21] The Philippine Department of Justice created a panel of special prosecutors to handle cases arising from the massacre.^[22]

Background

Background

The Ampatuans had been in control of Maguindanao since 2001. Andal Ampatuan, Sr. came first into prominence when President Corazon Aquino appointed him as officer-in-charge of Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak) in 1986 right after the People Power Revolution. Aquino, having come into power via revolutionary means, replaced every locally-elected official with officers-in-charge, although the town of Maganoy was approached differently; the aging mayor, Pinagayaw Ampatuan, was replaced by his vice mayor, Andal Sr. He won the 1988 local elections, then served for ten years. In the 1998 elections, Andal Sr. was elected as governor.^[4]

Members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lists Andal Sr., as a major ally in Mindanao. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan was the party's regional chairman. Andal Sr., the family patriarch, has been provincial governor since 1998; he has been elected thrice, unopposed. Eighteen of the mayors in Maguindanao belong to the clan. The elder Ampatuan attributed his popularity to "popular support," adding "Because I am so loved by the constituencies of the municipalities, they ask me to have my sons as representatives." In the 2004 presidential elections, Arroyo won 69% of Maguindanao's vote; three years later, the party-backed coalition scored a 12-0 sweep of the senatorial elections in the province. Unable to run for a third term, he is currently grooming his son, Andal, Jr., to succeed him as governor.^[5][6]

With escalating tensions in the province, Arroyo, as head of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, mediated between the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus (both are from the same party) to prevent election-related violence. Three meetings were held in mid-2009, with one meeting hosted by then Secretary of National Defense and current party chairman Gilberto Teodoro, who is running to succeed Arroyo as president. Arroyo's adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, disclosed that there was an initial agreement "in principle" that no Mangudadatu would contest Ampatuan Sr.'s gubernatorial post.^[7]

Two days before the incident, the mass grave was prepared using a backhoe emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., and apparently owned by the Ampatuan family.^[8]

The Maguindanao Massacre

Maguindanao massacre

The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre (after the town where the mass graves were found), occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The victims were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town. Mangudadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election,^[1] part of the national elections in 2010. The 57 people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called the Maguindanao massacre the single deadliest event for journalists in history.^[2] At least 34 journalists are known to have died in the massacre.^[3] In a statement, CPJ executive director Joel Simon noted that the killings, "appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths."^[2] The CPJ further noted that, "Even as we tally the dead in this horrific massacre, our initial research indicates that this is the deadliest single attack on the press ever documented by CPJ."^[2]

Even before the Maguindanao massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.^[2