Gruesome Maguindanao massacre claims at least 36 lives
“They belonged to the rival Mangudadatu clan, but since they were women accompanied by a media delegation, they believed they were safe, protected by the Koranic prescription to spare women. No one could have predicted the ruthlessness that met them. At least 36 people, mostly identified with Buluan, Maguindanao vice mayor Datu Ismail “Toto” Mangudadatu and including a dozen media people, were abducted and later killed on Monday by gunmen allegedly led by members of the Ampatuan political clan. Toto’s wife, Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, was among those killed, according to Toto himself. Madaser Mangudadato, Toto’s brother and assemblyman in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said some of the victims were beheaded. Even in the annals of political violence in the Philippines, this incident may have no equal in its brutality and in number of lives taken. The Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971 killed nine at a rally of the Liberal Party.“
Related articles:
1.) Ampatuans, Mangudadatus were allies for decades
2.) Arroyo: Hunt down Maguindanao massacre killers
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sobra na to.. wala pa ngang eleksyon.. bawal pa ngang mangampanya, patayan na sila kaagad.
please read some report dated last year
it says there that
matatapang sila dahil backed up sila ng administrasyon.
this is so inhuman!!! sobra talaga. this war just started. kasi [deleted]!!! and [deleted]. hayy…. wen will this end????
Greetings from my hiatus…
I think being Muslim and barbaric are two different words defined. I am one Muslim but not of their kind or their tribes.
These particular groups of people from the South will never change their attitudes. The know no civility, low comprehension, no tolerance with our country’s diversity. Their concept of power and respect is intimidation.
Now, I’m mad… reminds me of one Moro blogger na anak ng isang government official na ayaw patatawag na Filipino kasi yung Filipinos daw iba sa Moros… Filipinos daw ay group of loser people from colonialists. Kapal ng mukha ng mga muklong ito! Hindi nag-iisip ng para sa sang-katauhan! Makasarili at gahaman sa posisyon! (at kickbacks)
Now let’s talk about the BALIMBING situations from POLITICIANS…
I feel you John. However, for some angry people, I think I could understand the sentiment. The carnage in that part of the world is just too much to bear. I believe it is warlordism, I read the PCIJ report and it was an eye opener. Lawlessness talaga ang they weild so much power, pati ata pulis kanila.
ingat [deleted], wag [deleted] mag-stereotype ng groups ng tao. each one of us are individuals, regardless of our race, religion, political views, location, or economic status. pati ba ang mga inosente ay mga kriminal din?
Nalulungkot ako kasi ang isang mediaman na kasama sa grupo ay taga Manila Bulletin. Na-meet ko na siya twice. Rest in peace Bong Reblando. Now am convinced unsafe talaga ang Pilipinas for journalists, especially in a hotspot like Mindanao
not enough words to describe what they did. barbaric to the max and it seemed like its always been like that. that place over there seemed to be hopeless, stories after stories of carnage. my condolences.
OMG. Scary, barbaric and inhuman.
I wonder what Gloria will do eh yung mga gumawa ng massacre ang tumulong sa kanya para manalo doon.
Islamic kasi eh! Yan ang religion di bah? Sige pagbigyan ng peace talks ang mga yan.. ayan, peaceful sila anoh?
@Anti-Islam. Sorry bro but that’s not how we see wats going on. I’m from Mindanao. Here is a much more accurate interpretation of the incident based upon the condemnation of the UPLM. “Islam” religion has nothing to do with it.
November 23, 2009
Source: MindaNews
The Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) condemns in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of scores of civilians in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanaoin, a bloody start for the 2010 elections. Among the hapless victims were UPLM treasurer Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela and UPLM member Cynthia Oquendo.
Authorities claimed the victims were reportedly abducted by some 100 armed. They were accompanying the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ishmael “Toto” Mangudadatu , Genalyn, whose group was on their way to file her husband’s certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor at the Commission on Elections office in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao.
This barbaric mass murder not only indicates the early onset of pre-election violence, but, also shows that the culture of impunity clearly pervades with the existence of warlord-maintained private armies that have long been tolerated by the government, past and present. Considering their proximity to the present occupants of Malacañang, these warlords, as well as their henchmen, certainly believe that they can get away with cold-blooded mass murder.
It is doubly condemnable that among the latest victims were journalists and lawyers, who have been in the line of fire because of their commitment to their respective profession. Sadly, the names of Atty. Brizuela and Atty. Oquendo will be added to the long list of victims of extra-judicial killings under the present adminisatration.
The UPLM demands that justice be served on the victims, particularly to our colleauges, Attys. Brizuela and Oquendo. We demand that the Arroyo administration throws the full force of the government to bring the perpetrators, regardless of their affiliations, to the bar of justice.
Atty. Carlos Isagani Zarate
Secretary General
UPLM
@Anti-Islamic,
You dont know what is really going on in Mindanao. At walang kinalaman dito ang relihiyon ng islam. This is purely political.
Yung mga nagsasabi na this is because of religion hoolabalah or ganito ka-barbaro ang mga muslim etc. E TALAGANG MAKIKITID ANG UTAK, KUNG DI MAN MAKITID E BAKA WALA SIGURONG UTAK.
La Kapitana,
Pasensya na. Nakatapon kasi ang kape ko sa keyburd. Di ko maiwasang magalit. Nakakagalit na nga ang scenario dahil karamihan e babae ang pinatay, buntis pa ang isa. MAS LALONG NAKAKAGALIT YUNG MGA TAONG INAASSOCIATE ANG PANGYAYARI NA ITO SA RELIGION OR WHATSOEVER. MABABA PA MAN DIN ANG TOLERANCE KO SA MGA IGNORANTE.
Gawd. I feel like really shouting today.
I agree with you Bluep, it has nothing to do with ISLAM—- it’s all about POLITICS and POWER. Let us not confuse the issue. Yung patayan na ganyan ay di lang sa Maguindanao nagyayari. We have the same cases in Nueva Ecija, in Ilocos and Isabela. Nagpapatayana ng mga magkakamag-anak dahil sa pulitika. Let us be very MINDFUL when giving comments. VIOLENCE is part of PHILIPPINE POLITICS and faith or religion has nothing to do with it.
Pero kung totoo ang stories na to coming out of the media, I think etong carnage na to is different dahil barbaric masyado to.
Root cause nito is political dahil they allow corruption to continue.
The reason why these people kill one another is because they can get a lot of money from being in position and those in power just allow them to do that.
Second, no one in the Senate will ever push to stop nepotism. Tingnan mo lang ang list nang officials dun! sila sila! But of course not one will stop that dahil kahit na si Arroyo, mga anak nya puro nasa pulitika.
This is evil, barbaric and uncivilized….read this:
http://www.pcij.org/i-report/2008/ampatuans3.html
ftw!!!!!shoooot!!!!letsugasss!!!tang inumin mo!!!!
hinde ako makapagmura ng derecho, so there.
I am lost for words. Pare-pareho tayong mga Pilipino and yet, nagpapatayan lang dahil sa eleksyon. So sad…
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Silver and reyna_elena, Snow. Snow said: RT @tweetmeme Gruesome Maguindanao massacre claims at least 36 lives | Barrio Siete http://bit.ly/7iScOr [...]
i don’t think this is about religion or islam.
if you guys would read the link provided by AGUY, you could see this is about WARLORDISM. its sad they have not gotten past this barbaric system and have not improved with times.
and its sadder that they were aligned with the admin yon ang nakakainis to the max. what are they gonna do with these barbarians now?
Nakakagalit talaga kasi tingnan mo, magfile pa lang ng COC e eto na agad ang patayan.
GANYAN NA BA KA-DESPERADO ANG MGA YAN SA KAPANGYARIHAN? YOU ARE NOT WORTHY PUBLIC SERVANTS BUT RATHER MASS MURDERERS THAT DESERVED TO GO TO HELL.
MGA HAYOK SA KAPANGYARIHAN. PWEH!
Gawd. ~timpla kape ulet~
I was reading the PCIJ report and it looked like malaking pera talaga pag naging Governor ka kaya nga nagpapatayan. Mostly, construction nang mga public buildings and simple yon eh, dun siguro kumukuha nang pera. In the PCIJ picture, kung makikita mo yong bahay, anak nang leche oo! an lakI! And I was surprised, yong iba, appointed pala. Tingnan mo naman, puro sila magkakapamilya pag tumakbo.
Can the COMELEC and Congress devise election laws that bar kamag-anak’s from running? Sakit na ito sa atin ang NEPOTISM or perhaps, family politics ek-ek na yan. Hindi na democracy yan eh, POLITICAL DYNASTY na eh.
how can they? eh Arroyo lang buong mag-anak ganun den. who would pass a law banning nepotism eh pami-pamilya ang laman nang kongreso at senado di ba?
hinay hinay sa kape ha..
Ewan ko, the military running Maguindanao sounds like a very good idea right now. That’s the only way to clamp down on lawlessness!
read my updates at the bottom…
“She (GMA) needed somebody to control the votes.”
i read that earlier! ang lecheng Comelec wala na atang matinong gawain! how could they favor one candidate??? dahil admin supporter yon???
kaya tingnan mo, twisted masyado mga rulings. yong ladlad was disqualified for some ridiculous reasons
its beyond horrible blue! even beyond barbaric reading the news like sinagasaan pa sila, ni-rape, at dinurog durog, i mean, are all these true?
In Maguindanao, no one dares cross the Ampatuans
[...] Headline News: The Gruesome Maguindanao massacre claims that at least 36 lives has nothing to do with [...]
4 survivors tag Ampatuans in Maguindanao massacre
Who will protect us from our protectors?
MANGUDADATU CLAN OF SULTAN KUDARAT
Source: GMA News Research
The Mangudadatu clan is most prominent in Sultan Kudarat province, although it also enjoys some local political clout in Maguindanao. The following are members of the clan who have held various political positions at various times:
Datu Pax Mangudadatu
- representative, 1st District of Sultan Kudarat (2007-2010)
- governor, Sultan Kudarat (2004-2007)
- mayor, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat (1988-1998)
- Datu Pax is the father of Datu Suharto and Ruth, and the father-in-law of Datu Raden.
Datu Suharto Mangudadatu
- governor, Sultan Kudarat (2007-2010)
- representative, Lone District of Sultan Kudarat (2004-2007)
- mayor, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat (1998-2004)
- Datu Suharto is the son of Datu Pax, brother of Ruth, and the brother-in-law of Datu Raden Sakaluran.
Ruth Sakaluran
- mayor, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat (2007-2010)
- Ruth is the daughter of Datu Pax, sister of Datu Suharto, and wife of Datu Raden.
Datu Raden Sakaluran
- mayor, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat (2004-2007)
- Datu Raden is the son-in-law of Datu Pax, brother-in-law of Datu Suharto and husband of Ruth.
There are also Mangudadatu members who hold local seats in Maguindanao province:
Datu Ismael “Toto” Mangudadatu is currently vice mayor of Buluan municipality.
Bai Eden Mangudadatu is currently vice mayor of Mangudadatu municipality.
AT A GLANCE: THE MANGUDADATU CLAN OF SULTAN KUDARAT
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/177674/who-will-protect-us-from-our-protectors
The Ampatuans came to power in 2001, nurtured, armed, and tolerated by GMA. It now evolved into a vicious and evil warlord- and treats the province as their franchise. The GMA administration undoubtedly breeded and cuddled warlords that are now MONSTERS-ala Taliban…there are many of them in other parts of the country!!
thank you for that link AGUY. it’s now very clear from the news that this is a battle of warlords, is that a fair assessment? wala akong pinapanigan sa dalawang kampo.
Tama Kuya Bluep, they always use the worb “islam” or “muslim” when news reports pertaining to violence in Mindanao or anywhere else in our country. Even abroad I would say. Maybe some of them are Moslems or happen to be moslems whose ideas and ideals were distorted at some point in their lives.
But do we hear people say na he/she is Christian (or put any other religion). I am not Moslem, no, but I empathize with my fellow Mindanaoans. Moslems and Christians alike. Root problem sa mindanao is really political, the lack of real leader who can sort things in Mindanao.
WARNING:
This is a graphic picture of dead bodies in Maguindanao Massacre.
http://twitpic.com/qpync
napakabigat naman sa dibdib ng balitang ito…
WARNING:
This is another graphic picture of dead bodies in Maguindanao Massacre.
http://twitpic.com/qpybs
[...] the way, I spotted this picture from twitpic. Someone posted it over Barrio Siete dot com. Warning: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. GRAPHIC IMAGE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS [...]
i am a priest assigned in olutanga island, which is also part of the armm. i am saddened by the anti-islamic comments here…
the situation is clearly political. period.
True, padz…it is sad because he/she who is hiding behind anonymity doesn’t know what he/she is talking about.
it is sad how mis-information and anger breed prejudice. so, it is our duty now to educate and reassure those who are misled. we will not discriminate against them, but instead invite them to pray with us for the victims and their families, and the future of our nation.
WORDS to describe the massacre: Barbaric? No, too soft. Inhuman? Lame. Merciless? No, too kind.
EVIL is the right term. DEMONYO lang ang makakasikmura/makakagawa ng ganoong karahasan.
the most apt term is POLITICS.. PHILIPPINE POLITICS t be exact
I agree pehpot. Guns, goons and gold.Only in the Philippines
Politics is EVIL!
and warlordism is beyond evil! they need to disarm private armies! kagagawan nila yan and now its haunting them and the victims are our brothers and sisters!
Definition: Politics Poli (Poly): Many…. Tic(k)s: Blood sucking creatures …
I found a nice reading.
“Andal Ampatuan Jr. et al. must be arrested immediately through lawful warrantless arrest”
November 26, 2009 in Politics
Source: http://julesmatibag.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/ational-union-of-peoples-lawyers-nupl-on-the-brutal-killing-of-its-two-lawyer-members-in-the-maguindanao-massacre/
The Philippine National Police has stated that it has no suspects yet in the Ampatuan massacre though it considers the motive behind the mass murder as “political”. Justice Secretary Agnes Devenadera has likewise been declaring in the media that no suspects have been officially named and arrested as the authorities are still conducting their investigation on the massacre which so far has claimed the lives of 57 people, 22 females and 35 males. The innocent victims include 25 journalists so far and two lawyers.
Malacanañg officials have been saying that “due process” must be observed in the apprehension of the perpetrators, hence not a single arrest has been made.
But are the authorities correct in invoking “due process”? Is the PNP correct in saying that witnesses must first execute affidavits before anyone can be arrested? Is Justice Secretary Devenadera correct in her declaration that investigation must be conducted first before anyone can be arrested?
All these excuses are just that – pure excuses.
In ordering an arrest, you do not need proof beyond reasonable doubt. Such quantum of evidence is needed only during the trial to ensure the conviction of the accused. We are not yet at the trial stage in the Ampatuan massacre; we are still in the stage of apprehension of the culprits.
In ordering an arrest, all you need is probable cause. It simply means that a crime has been committed and the person to be arrested has probably committed the same. And a warrant of arrest may even be dispensed with.
There are instances where an arrest without a warrant is lawful. The wisdom behind this rule is for the immediate apprehension of criminals because the issuance of a warrant of arrest takes time.
Only judges can issue a warrant of arrest. Prior to such issuance, a complaint has to be filed first before a public prosecutor who shall conduct a preliminary investigation, which shall take time. And only if the investigating prosecutor finds probable cause will he issue a Resolution, which has to be approved by the city or provincial prosecutor, as the case may be. After such approval, the investigating prosecutor shall file an Information in court charging the accused. The Information shall be raffled to determine which sala shall take cognizance thereof. Upon receipt of the Information by the judge, he shall conduct a preliminary examination to determine whether probable cause exists for the issuance of a warrant of arrest. Only then that a warrant of arrest may be issued.
Thus, due to the long time needed before a warrant of arrest may be issued, instances of lawful warrantless arrest have been clearly and categorically enumerated under the Rules of Criminal Procedure.
What are these instances?
Rule 113 – Arrest
Sec. 5. Arrest without warrant; when lawful. – A peace officer or a private person may, without a warrant, arrest a person:
(a) When, in his presence, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit an offense;
(b) When an offense has just been committed and he has probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances that the person to be arrested has committed it; and
(c) When the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment or place where he is serving final judgment or is temporarily confined while his case is pending, or has escaped while being transferred from one confinement to another.
In the application of Rule 113, Section 5 (b), the term “personal knowledge” therein should not be strictly construed.
“Personal knowledge” of facts in arrests without a warrant under Section 5 (b) of Rule 113 must be based upon “probable cause” which means an “actual belief or reasonable grounds of suspicion.” The grounds of suspicion are reasonable when, in the absence of actual belief of the arresting officers, the suspicion that the person to be arrested is probably guilty of committing the offense is based on actual facts, i.e., supported by circumstances sufficiently strong in themselves to create the probable cause of guilt of the person to be arrested. A reasonable suspicion therefore must be founded on probable cause, coupled with good faith on the part of the peace officers making the arrest.”
In the Ampatuan massacre, there are reasonable grounds of suspicion that the Ampatuans, particularly Andal Ampatuan Jr., are probably guilty of committing such gruesome act of mass murder, thus:
(1) Ampatuan Jr. has been positively identified by witnesses and wife of Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu as the leader of the 100 armed men. This information was directly relayed to Vice Mayor Mangudadatu by his wife through cellphone immediately when their convoy was forced to stop.
(2) The backhoe used by the killers in the digging of the graves is owned by the province of Maguindanao, as such is clearly printed on said equipment. The governor of Maguindano is Andal Ampatuan Sr.
(3) The victims were murdered while they were on their way to the Comelec office to file the certificate of candidacy of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu as Maguindanao governor. He will challenge Ampatuan Jr. for the said post as it is already the last term of Ampatuan Sr. as Maguindanao governor.
(4) Chief Inspector Zukarno Adil Dicay, Maguindanao provincial director, was seen by witnesses as among the armed men led by Ampatuan Jr. Thus, C/Insp. Dicay was relieved of his post. As C/Insp. Dicay has direct and personal knowledge of the massacre, he saw the killers while actually committing the massacre in his presence.
(5) The Ampatuans have absolute control over the province of Maguindanao and they even have a private army.
(6) The Ampatuans, particularly Ampatuan Jr., are completely silent about the imputations against them as the mastermind behind the massacre.
These circumstances are enough to establish probable cause for the immediate lawful warrantless arrest of Ampatuan Jr., C/Insp. Dicay and the members of the Ampatuan private army.
The reason why not a single arrest has been made so far? Malacañang is afraid that the Ampatuans might disclose what really happened during the 2004 and 2007 elections in the counting of votes in Maguindanao. Thus, the negotiation between Sec. Jesus Dureza and the Ampatuans for the former’s request for “cooperation” from the latter in the investigation.
Imagine, a government official requesting for “cooperation” from the Ampatuans. Secretary Dureza is even acting as if he were lawyering for the Ampatuans.
Whether the Ampatuans would cooperate or not, that is their problem. It should not be Malacañang’s problem.
Authorities should apply the full force of the law if the Ampatuans are not willing to cooperate. If the Ampatuans resist the arrest and the confiscation of their firearms and the dismantling of their private army, authorities should simply apply the full force of the law, plain and simple.
If the Ampatuans fire upon the authorities in the course of these actions, authorities should return the favor to the Ampatuans, plain and simple. The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have more than enough manpower and firepower to assert the law in Manguindanao and force Ampatuan Jr. et al. inside prison cells.
Anything less than these courses of actions is injustice to the victims and their families, plain and simple.
NB. First posted on Facebook on November 25, Wednesday.
Sa kasamaang palad, hindi lang sa Maguindanao nangyayari ang ganitong uri ng karumaldumal na krimen sa ngalan ng pampulitikang kapangyarihan. Nangyayari ito sa buong Pilipinas, (hindi lang sa lugar ng mga Muslim, para maging klaro ang pag-iisip ng mga anti-Muslim na nagkomento dito). Siguro lang nga ang Ampatuan Massacre ang may record high ng bilang ng pinatay sa iisang insidente lamang. Ang problema lang karamihan ng mga pamamaslang na ganito ay hindi nababalita.
Ang warlordismo ay laganap sa buong Pilipinas. May iba’t-ibang anyo at intensity lamang. Sa bandang Norte, kilala ang Abra sa pagkakaroon ng political warlords, at marami ding insidente ng pamamaslang alang-alang sa politika. Mayroon ding naganap na massacre dito, pero it pales in comparison sa Maguindanao massacre, pero massacre pa rin: buhay pa rin ng mga tao ang nawala. Hindi na ata ito nakarating pa sa national media. Ilang taon na ring nakalipas ang pangyayaring ito, walang nakapansin, walang ganitong klase ng outrage dahil hindi naman nalaman ng karamihan.