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. While the victims were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, they were kidnapped and brutally killed. Mangundadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election,[2] part of the national elections in 2010. The 58 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.[3] At least 34 journalists are known to have died in the massacre.[4] 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."[3] 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."[3] Even before the Maguindanao massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.[3]
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.[5]
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 three times, 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.[6][7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
[edit] Attack
Location of Buluan, the origin of the convoy, in Maguindanao.
Location of Shariff Aguak, the destination of the convoy, in Maguindanao.
Location of Ampatuan, the location where the massacre took place, in Maguindanao.
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.[4] There is evidence that at least five of the female victims, four of them journalists, were raped before being killed,[10] while "practically all" of the women had been shot in their genitals[11] and beheaded.[12] Mangudadatu's youngest sister and aunt were both pregnant at the time of their murders.[13]
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.[14] 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."[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.[4]
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]
[edit] 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. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Datu 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.[3]
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]
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, in 1901, of a whole American camp by Filipinos and the retaliation by General Jacob H. Smith in which he ordered "The interior of Samar must be made a howling wilderness[31][32]", the Lapiang Malaya massacre in Pasay in 1967, the Escalante massacre in Negros Occidental in September 1985, the Mendiola massacre of peasants for land reform in 1987 and the Lupao massacre in Nueva Ecija during a 1987 military campaign against the New People's Army (NPA).[33]
[edit] Declaration of martial law
On December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No. 1959, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially placed Maguindanao province under a state of martial law.[34] 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.[35][36]
Following the declaration, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr., the alleged mastermind of the massacre.[37] The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 330,000 live rounds of 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition, and the arrest of 20 militiamen. Also confiscated in the raid were several firearms, a military Humvee and an improvised armored vehicle.[38]
Martial law in Maguindanao was lifted on December 13, 2009.
[edit] Media fundraising
UNTV-37 head Daniel Razon spearheaded a fund-raising concert named "Protest Broadcast 3" aimed at helping the families of 32 media men who perished in the Massacre (including 4 UNTV-37 journalists), the concert took place last May 17 at the Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City. Families of the victims of the massacre were given free tickets and were given monetary donations at the end of the concert.[39] Succeeding fund-raising concerts will be mounted by the same organizing team – Bread Society International in cooperation with UNTV and Breakthrough and Milestones Productions – at Cebu Convention Center on May 23, and at the CAP Auditorium in Davao on May 30.[40]
[edit] Legal proceedings
At least 198 suspects, including Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Andal Ampatuan Sr. and several other members of the Ampatuan clan, have been charged with murder. In April 2010, the government dropped murder charges against Zaldy Ampatuan and Akhmad Ampatuan who had presented alibis. This led to protests by family members of the victims.[41]
Senator Joker Arroyo has remarked that with nearly 200 defendants and 300 witnesses, the trial could take 200 years.[42] In a statement commemorating, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility remarked that the trial was "ongoing, but is rather moving slowly."[43]
I think the declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao is just fare for all the victims for the immediate capture of the suspects behind the massacre.
MANILA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Interior Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno said the government has taken "forceful measures" to give justice to the victims of the massacre in Maguindanao.
"Forceful measures have been taken quietly since Monday while not allowing armed groups, including the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) from taking control of the area," Puno said in a press briefing in Thursday.
"This is something our society can not accept; our enforcers of the law can not accept," he stressed
Puno said that hours after Monday's carnage was uncovered, the government immediately created a crisis management committee led by Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Jesus Dureza.
The committee was able to push Andal Ampatuan Jr., the mayor of the town of Datu Unsay in Maguindanao and the prime suspect in the massacre that claimed 57 lives, to surrender Monday morning to Dureza and Philippine Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.
"We gave him (Ampatuan) an ultimatum and we gave him until 10 o'clock this morning (to surrender)," Puno said.
Seven police officers in Maguindanao who were allegedly involved in the incident were likewise removed from their posts and were already placed under restrictive custody.
These police officers are Senior Supt. Agusana Maguid, officer in charge of the Philippine National Police's provincial office; Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, deputy police director; Senior Insp.Ariel Diongson, OIC, Group Director of 1508th Provincial Mobile Group (PMG); Senior Police Officer 2 Badawi Bakal, OIC of the DatuAmpatuan Police Station. These officers will also be flown from Cotabato city to join Ampatuan and several other suspects in inquest proceedings to be held in Manila.
These four officers, along with Insp. Armando Mariga, OIC, Group Director of the 1506th PMG and Insp. Saudi Mokamad, OIC, Group Director of the 1507th PMG were all administratively relieved from their posts.
Puno said the government has also replaced all police officers in Maguindanao; secured the provincial capitol building along with the municipal halls of Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak, and placed under investigation all policemen of the Ampatuan police station for possible complicity in the crime. He also assured that the four companies of Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary (SCAA) units in the area were deactivated and all of their 347 members combined were disarmed.
The justice department has also taken the deposition of all witnesses who would provide strong evidence for the government to be able to build an airtight case against those responsible for the massacre.
The National Police Commission has adapted a resolution withdrawing the deputation powers of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. (father of Andal Jr.) and all mayors of the municipalities in the province which effectively strips them of all their powers over the local police in their respective areas of responsibility.
Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Verzosasaid that all permits to carry firearms have been indefinitely suspended in the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City,
Verzosa said he is also reiterating his earlier recommendation to limit the assignment of police officers to government officialsto only two close-in security aides who should all be in proper uniform when on duty.
Top suspect in Maguindanao massacre charged with multiple murder
MANILA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The top suspect in Monday's slaughter in Maguindanao has been formally charged with multiple murder before the Philippine Department of Justice, local media reported Thursday.
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, together with Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuno, performed the inquest at the General Santos City airport Thursday, according to Inquirer.net, the website of the Philippine Dauly Inquirer, the country's biggest broadsheet. Full story
Philippine massacre toll rises to 57 as governor, son eyed as suspects
AMPATUAN, Philippines, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 57 people were killed in the stunning massacre of journalists, civilians and relatives of politicians in the volatile southern Philippines as more bodies were unearthed from a mass grave, military and police officials said.
Ltcol Romeo Brawner, the chief military spokesman, said 11 bodies were discovered as rescuers continued to dig the hillside grave in Saniag village, Amputuan town of Maguindanao province on Wednesday. Full story
Philippine president declares national day of mourning for victims
MANILA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday declared a national day of mourning for the victims of Monday's massacre in the country's southern province of Maguindanao.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a press briefing that Ms Arroyo declared the national day of mourning three days after the worst massacre in the country's history in which at least 49 people, including journalists, were brutally killed. Full story
China condemns hostage killing in southern Philippines
BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday condemned the hostage killing in southern Philippines which left at least 37 people dead.
"We are shocked by the incident. We denounce it and extend our sincere sympathy to the families of the victims," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press briefing. Full story
Gunmen seize 40 people in southern Philippines
DAVAO CITY, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen seized on Monday 40 people, including 20 journalists, in the province of Maguindanao, southern Philippines.
A local radio station reported that armed men took journalists and a group of politicians who were suppose to file their certificate of candidacy at the office of the Commission on Elections in the town of Shariff Aguak. Full story
