By BEN ROSARIO
The House of Representatives remembered with a silent prayer the 58 men and women who were brutally murdered in what is now known as the Maguindanao Massacre that shocked the nation 10 years ago.
Leading the commemoration of the event, Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu stood on the floor to deliver a privilege speech on Wednesday in which he admitted that the carnage was apparently triggered by the resolve of many Maguindanaoans to put an end to the corrupt and vicious regime of the Ampatuan clan.
In his speech, Mangudadatu also noted that after the murders staged by Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. and over 100 heavily armed men, his family and those of other victims were disappointed by the slow progress of the investigation which was delayed by the lack of scene of the crime special equipment and probers.
The former Maguindanao governor appealed to Congress to pass immediately his legislative proposal for the creation of SOCO units in Philippine National Police regional offices and local police sttions.
Among the 58 killed were Mangudadatu’s wife, Genalyn Tiamson Mangudadatu and sisters, Vice Mayor Eden, Farina, and Farida, all surnamed Mangudadatu.
Also slain in the massacre was Manila Bulletin correspondent Alejandro “Bong” Reblando.
Mangudadatu said the victims were on a convoy of several vehicles when the party was waylaid at the remote sition of Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town on November 23, 2009.
The group was headed to the Commission on Elections to file the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan town vice mayor Esmael who was set to challenge Unsay’s brother, Governor Zaldy Ampatuan in the gubernatorial race of Maguidnanao.
“As law-abiding and peace-loving Filipinos who were also clamoring for changes “to secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of democracy under a regime of justice, peace, liberty and equality” in the province of Maguindanao, my family and I made the decision for me to file my candidacy for the gubernatorial race of Maguindanao in spite of the odds,” Mangudadatu recalled.
Death threats started pouring in after the Mangudadatu family announced the decision, prompting the candidate and other family members to allow women to represent him at the Comelec.
Mangudadaatu said that being Muslims, they “took to heart” the teachings in Qur-an where Allah mandates total respect to women.
But this was not what happened as 17 bullets form high-powered firearms found their mark in the body of his wife.
“Unsay Ampatuan and his minions mercilessly took away from us my wife, siblings, close relatives and associates, 32 media practitioners, and 6 other civilian casualties who were mistaken as part of their convoy. Fifty-eight people had their lives lost and 58 families and some more had their lives changed forever,” Mangudadatu lamented.
He said the long search for justice added further to the pain that many relatives had experienced in losing a loved one to a senseless act of violence.
“As the 10th anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre is approaching, we, the family of the victims, are still waiting for the dispensation of justice. We express our dismay over the defense’s ploy to makeup stories alleging the recantation of our star witness’ testimony,” the administraiton lawmaker stated.
He added: “In behalf of the 58 murder families, I am asking for real justice to be served so that this may act as a reminder to some power-hungry politicians out there that murder and other forms of impunity will not go unpunished be it in this life or in the hereafter.”
