BACOLOD City – The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)-Bacolod Chapter offered mixed reactions to the guilty verdict against members of the Ampatuan clan and several others.
Marchel Espina, chairperson of NUJP-Bacolod, said the guilty verdict against principal suspects Datu Andal Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan is a welcome development.
But she called the acquittal of Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan “very
disappointing and unacceptable.”
“The families of the victims, who waited 10 years for justice, deserved
better,” Espina stressed, saying they were expecting a 100-percent conviction
of all the principal suspects.
Eight members of the Ampatuan family were among 28 people sentenced to life imprisonment over their roles in an ambush on an election motorcade in Maguindanao province, and the gunning-down of all who witnessed it.
Datu Andal Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan were among those who were found guilty and sentenced to reclusion perpetua or a maximum of 40 years in prison without the benefit of parole.
Their brother Datu Sajid Islam, however, was acquitted due to reasonable doubt and cannot waive his presence during promulgation on Thursday.
Sajid, son of Ampatuan patriarch Andal Sr., is an incumbent mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha in Maguindanao province.
He was given five days to explain his absence at the promulgation of judgment and why he should not be cited in contempt of court.
But according to Espina, Sajid’s absence during the promulgation of judgment undermines the judicial process and should be cited in contempt of court.
Sajid had said he already cut ties with his family after he was removed as OIC governor of Maguindanao a month before the killings.
Sajid was granted bail in 2015 with the court citing testimonies that he did not utter a single word during the supposed meetings.
He was convicted of graft in March by the Sandiganbayan and sentenced to life imprisonment, the decision affirmed in September.
Under the Rules of Court, the accused loses their chance to appeal a guilty ruling if their absence during the promulgation of judgment is not justified. (With ABS-CBN News/PN)
