Palace Wants Ampatuan Massacre Resolved within Pres. Aquino’s Term

(PNA) – Malacañang is hoping to see the brutal massacre of 58 individuals, including 36 media members six years ago in Maguindanao, resolved within the term of President Benigno Aquino III, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Monday said.

”We have many cases we want to resolve within our term and one of the most frustrating cases that we have right not, one which is very close to the hearts of media people is the Ampatuan massacre,” Lacierda said.

The Ampatuan massacre where the mass graves were found, occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province.

Former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., is the prime suspect in the massacre where the wife of then mayoralty candidate Esmael Mangudadatu was also killed.

”I think that is one of the cases that we would like to see resolved. It has been ongoing for several years. A number of accused have been arraigned but a number as well are still in hiding or have not been arraigned,” Lacierda said.

When asked if the Aquino administration wanted also to see cases involving former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resolved in the next 15 months, Lacierda said they have no updates on the cases of the former woman leader who is under hospital arrest for due to plunder charges.

”Let me state this as a general principle: you’d like to see all cases resolved the soonest possible time. But you’d also be very, very conscious of the fact that due process must be observed,” he said.

He said there are cases controlled by the judge or by the several justices whether in the Sandiganbayan or a regional trial court or the Supreme Court.

”So you have a balance between — a system where you’d like the justice system to be operating effectively, mindful, however, that due process must exist in each case. So our answer, as a general principle, is we’d like to see cases resolved but again, we have no control. That’s a limitation of a tripartite form of government: that we have no control over the judiciary,” Lacierda explained. (PNA) FPV/JFM