November 25, 2009, 5:13pm
Vice President Manuel “Noli” De Castro Wednesday expressed dismay with the rate the police are conducting the investigation into the Maguindanao killings as he demanded the immediate arrest of those behind the massacre.As of press time, field reports indicate that the death toll in the massacre could breach 50 after the recovery of more bodies, including those of government workers who were apparently also taken by the suspects when they happened by the highway where the target victims were intercepted Monday morning.
According to De Castro, police officers or individuals with personal knowledge of the brutal killings must join hands with the full force of the State “in hot pursuit” to immediately effect the arrest of the perpetrators regardless of their political influence because no one is above the law.
“I and the rest of the outraged nation demand swift justice for the brutal killings of the defenseless victims in Maguindanao. Let us send a clear signal to those murderers that law and justice reign in our land. Put the masterminds of this atrocity behind bars,” the Vice President said in a statement.
He further stressed that in order to put a stop to violence in southern Philippines, Malacanang, no less, should order the police and military to cut the warlords’ power and dismantle their private armies that reportedly terrorize communities in Mindanao.
De Castro said that, consequently, the Maguindanao killings exposed another nefarious truth, that of the existence of warlordism.
As of Wednesday, three days after the gruesome massacre and its news spreading around the world, the government has yet to make any concrete move to bring any single suspect in despite common knowledge that the atrocities were perpetrated by followers of a powerful political clan.
“Every day that passes by with the perpetrators still on the loose brings more pain and anguish to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims. I ask the national police to do their assigned duties without fear or bias, for the sake of truth and justice,” De Castro said.
In Mindanao, police operatives aided by government troops started Tuesday afternoon the transport of the recovered bodies to Koronadal City where an autopsy will be conducted by forensic experts.
Senior Supt. Willie Dangane, in charge of the ongoing retrieval operations, said Wednesday that the bodies of Genalyn Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, his sister-in-law and Mangudadatu town Vice Mayor Eden and sister Bai Farina arrived around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday for autopsy at the Allen Memorial Homes.
Buluan Vice Mayor Mangudadatu, Buluan Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu and Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto Mangudadatu were among those who brought the remains of their three relatives to the funeral parlor here for autopsy, Dangane said.
Police search and retrieval teams have recovered 24 more victims late Tuesday buried in a shallow portion of a freshly filled cliff and another shallow grave in the vicinity of Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town.
Dangane said the teams also recovered the remains of several employees of the National Economic and Development Authority in Region 12, city government of Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat and several other civilians.
“Maybe they happened to be there (at the highway) and the suspects also held and later killed them,” the police official said.
More bodies were being recovered as of Wednesday, bringing the number of victims of the massacre to more than 50.
About a hundred armed men reportedly held and later killed two women lawyers, over two dozen journalists and members of the Mangudadatu family who were on their way to file the certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu at the Commission on Elections provincial office in Shariff Aguak town last Monday.
Meanwhile, the National Press Club (NPC) of the United States led by its president Donna Leinwand, USA Today newspaper's veteran reporter, added its strong voice calling on the Philippine government to ensure the safety and protection of journalists and press freedom.
At least 34 journalists are believed to have been killed in the massacre along with members of the Mangudadatu family and other civilians.
Toto Mangudadatu is set to run for governor against Datu Unsay Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., whom the former pinned as the one who led the armed men.
Ampatuan Jr. is one of the sons of Maguindanao's acknowledged kingpin, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr. The Ampatuan clan has appealed to the people to not speculate on the perpetrators and await results of police investigations.
"This is so terrible. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the slain journalists," said a message Leinwand posted on Facebook.
One of those mercilessly murdered was Alejandro "Bong" M. Reblando, a reporter of the Manila Bulletin.
Leinwand, who covered the Iraq war thrice embedded with American troops, said she issued a statement on behalf of the US NPC, "the world's leading professional organization for journalists."
"No one benefits when journalists are intimidated, threatened and ultimately killed merely for trying to report the news," said Leinwand.
"The government in the Philippines must take concrete, immediate steps to protect journalists and press freedom."
Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) Executive Director Datu Ali B. Sangki has also voiced outrage at the sight of the victims on television. He said the mass killings is a shame on Muslim Filipinos.
"I am really shocked seeing on TV the inhuman, brutal, barbaric, and treacherous massacre of innocent civilians from Buluan, more so involving many women and unarmed civilians. This is again a drawback and embarrassment to the ordinary Muslims of this country that further widens the gap between and among the different Moro clans," said Sangki.
"Investigation should be made immediately to identify the perpetrators and brought to justice to answer for their crimes. This is the only way to prevent the tense situation from spreading to uncontrollable proportions," Sangki said. (With reports from Nonoy Lacson and Edd Usman)
Source: http://mb.com.ph/articles/231189/72-hours-anguish
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