Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The executive committee of Lakas-Kampi-CMD Wednesday night voted unanimously to expel Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay town, following the Maguindanao massacre.“The Ampatuans were stripped of party membership for their failure to uphold party ideals and principles in their area of jurisdiction, specifically relating to the peaceful, legal and democratic pursuit and exercise of political power,” Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats president and Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez, said in a phone interview.
Top officials of the ruling coalition held an emergency meeting in Pasig City to tackle the fate of the Ampatuans.
The Maguindanao governor is the provincial chair of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, while the ARMM governor is the regional chair.
Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Lakas-Kampi-CMD chair and standard-bearer, earlier called for the expulsion of the Ampatuans.
Dominguez said the Ampatuans “being both the actual and symbolic heads of the Ampatuan clan, are now considered expelled from the party and relieved of their duties and responsibilities as the party provincial chair for Maguindanao and regional chair of ARMM, respectively.”
Dominguez also urged the Philippine National Police to swiftly solve the massacre in accordance with Teodoro’s call.
Teodoro, the former defense secretary, earlier visited Buluan town in Maguindanao, two days after the massacre of at least 57 people, including members of the Mangudadatu political clan and several journalists. The victims were seized and killed by armed men said to be followers of the powerful Ampatuan clan.
Teodoro also attended the oath-taking ceremony of new party members in nearby Midsayap town.
In Buluan, Teodoro condoled with families of the victims of the worst politically related massacre in the nation’s history.
He urged the government to arrest Mayor Ampatuan and his armed followers involved in the massacre.
Teodoro said all armed groups in the area should be disarmed to prevent an escalation of violence.
Strong gov’t action
“The government should take an unequivocal and strong action against the perpetrators of this dastardly crime,” he said.
Teodoro succeeded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Lakas-Kampi-CMD chair last week after he was proclaimed presidential candidate of the ruling party in the May elections.
“There’s no justification or no idea whatsoever can I come up with or comprehend what makes a person do these things,” he said.
Teodoro also urged the government “to discipline and arrest the public officials who should have acted but did not act.”
He said the entire country and the whole world was watching how the government would handle the volatile situation in Mindanao, where clan wars are common.
“I urge the government to take strong actions to show as an example that crime does not pay,” Teodoro said.
“They should arrest the perpetrators whoever they may be and disarm them and make sure of adequate security presence in the area to avoid a repeat of the incident,” he added.
He said what had happened to the family of Mangudadatu and the journalists “has to be dealt with very firmly because this is a test case not only for this government but for governments to come.”
“Justice must be done,” he added. With a report from Carlo Agamon, Inquirer Mindanao
Source: http://politics.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&article=20091126-238429
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