MANILA – The camp of Maguindanao Rep. Toto Mangudadatu is optimistic that justice will finally be served to 58 victims of the Maguindanao massacre when the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 hands out its verdict today.
“Pagbayaran nila lahat. Death penalty, kung meron. Pero kailangan, kasi sumobra na lahat ng ginagawa nila sa Maguindanao,” Mangudadatu said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.
A decade ago, 58 people, including 32 media workers, were slaughtered and dumped into roadside pits during an attack that was also one of the world’s worst mass killings of journalists.
Victims’ families have endured a trial of 101 defendants marred by allegations of bribery, defense delays, the murder of several witnesses and a fear that the still powerful accused could be acquitted.
Mangudadatu said that Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes will mete a guilty verdict during the promulgation slated at nine in the morning today at the Quezon City Jail Annex at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Mangududatu, who was the “real target” of the attack for challenging the long-reigning Ampatuan clan for Maguindanao’s gubernatorial post, said he will respect the court’s ruling – be it positive or negative but he hopes it’s the former.
“Sana sa akin, pasko ngayon. Pamasko na lang din nila ‘yung sa amin,” Mangudadatu said. “Irerespeto ko ang desisyon ng korte pero sana pabor sa amin kasi hindi na kami makakaapila kapag na-acquit ang mga akusado.”
Atty. Harry Roque, who served as counsel of some of the families of the massacre victims, said that they are positive that Solis-Reyes will mete a guilty verdict after 10 years of court proceedings.
“Bagama’t hindi natin panghihimasukan ang hukuman, nagkaroon naman tayo ng mga ebidensya hindi lang basta testimonial, kundi testimonial na nagkaroon ng corroboration,” Roque said in an interview with DZMM.
“Kampante po kami na nagawa ng mga prosecutors ang kanilang trabaho upang mapatunayan na guilty beyond reasonable doubt,” he added.
Several Ampatuans and alleged members of their private army were charged for conspiring to kill 58 people, 32 of whom were journalists, on a hill in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009.
Out of the original 197 suspects, 80 remain at large including 15 members of the Ampatuan clan./PN
Ampatuans meanwhile won 25 local seats in May’s elections including Sajid Ampatuan, a defendant in the massacre case who was released on bail./PN
