MANILA – The convicts of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre must not only rot in jail but should be sentenced with death penalty, Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu said.
“Ang gusto ko nga talagang bitay, lalo na ‘yang si Unsay pati ‘yung magkakapatid dahil grabe ang ginagawa nila. Hindi lang Maguindano massacare ang ginawa niyan,”
Mangudadatu said in an interview with the media following the release of the verdict at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Capital punishment was already abolished in the Philippines since 2006 but Mangudadatu, who is a member of the 18th Congress, is in favor of reinstating the death penalty.
“‘Yung mga major crimes na katulad ng ganyan at ‘yung mga rape, itong mga drugs na sobrang dami ng pumapasok sa atin,” Mangudadatu said.
“Kung hindi nakadroga sina Unsay, kung hindi nakadroga silang magkakapatid pati ‘yung tatay, gagawin ba nila ‘yun? Walang iiwan? Gagalawin ba nila ‘yung mga babae? Malaya naman tayo eh, nasa demokrasya tayo bakit ginawa ‘yun?” he added.
Mangudadatu lost his wife and sisters, along with other political supporters, in the November 2009 massacre. At that time, he was planning to run against the Ampatuan clan for the gubernatorial post in Maguindanao for the 2010 elections.
Mangudadatu also said that the verdict handed down by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes will gauge the strength of the country’s judicial system.
“Ang importansya ng verdict ngayon, sa isang dekadang paghihintay, ay para makita ng taumbayan na may batas tayo, kumakagat pa rin ang batas at mahinto na rin ‘yung sobrang pang-aapak sa mga tao,” he said.
“Malaking mensahe na maipakita sa mga kababayan natin hindi lang sa Maguindanao kundi sa buong Pilipinas, buong mundo na tama na ‘yung power na pinapasobra, ‘yun bang palagay nila nakatitulado sa kanila ‘yung power na ‘yun hindi na mawawala,” he added.
The victims were on a convoy heading to Comelec provincial office in Shariff Aguak town to file Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao when they were waylaid and eventually killed./PN
