Conditions that led to 2009 massacre still exist
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—On the 16th anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre, the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) warned that the “entrenched system of impunity” that led to the slaughter of 58 people in 2009 has not been dismantled but instead evolved into a lethal machine now responsible for massive corruption scandals plaguing the nation.
In a statement released on Sunday, the UPLM marked the commemoration by honoring the victims, specifically paying tribute to their colleagues, lawyers Connie Brizuela and Cynthia Oquendo-Ayon, who were among those killed in Ampatuan town of what is now Maguindanao del Sur province.
The group that provides legal aid to the marginalized in Mindanao drew a sharp line between the warlordism of the past and modern state corruption.
“The massacre and the massive corruption are fruits from the same poisonous tree,” it stated.
On Nov. 23, 2009, 58 people, including 32 media workers, were killed after their convoy was waylaid by a group of armed men. The victims were accompanying the wife of then gubernatorial candidate Esmael Mangudadatu, who was filing his certificate of candidacy on her husband’s behalf.
The powerful Ampatuan family, led by then Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., was implicated in the murder plot, and charges were filed against some of them. Although several of the primary suspects, including Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his brother Zaldy Ampatuan, were convicted, many of the suspects are either still being tried or remain at large. Ampatuan Sr., on the other hand, died while in detention in 2015.
The UPLM said the mechanism used by political dynasties to silence dissent—fascist tactics and the weaponization of state power—remains active more than a decade and a half later.
It added that the Red-tagging of activists and legal practitioners was evidence that the “culture of entitlement and unaccountability” persists.
The commemoration was particularly poignant for the legal community in Mindanao as it paid special tribute to Brizuela, a founding member and treasurer of the organization, describing her as a “legal warrior for the marginalized.”
Crucial evidence
The group also recalled the final moments of Oquendo-Ayon, who was killed alongside her father, Catalino Oquendo.
The UPLM highlighted her desperate text messages sent during the ambush, which later served as crucial evidence in convicting the masterminds of the crime.
“Kidnap[ped] me with tatay … Many people killed, I’m next,” one of her text messages went.
“Her final act of bearing witness from the massacre site itself stands as a powerful testament to her bravery,” the group stated.
In General Santos City, families of the victims gathered at Forest Lake Memorial to urge the Marcos administration to ensure that they get justice.
“We already know who these people are but why does it take very long for justice to be delivered?” asked Grace Morales, whose husband, Rosell, and sister, Marites Cablitas, were among those killed. She added that they have been issuing the same call every year, but justice continues to elude them.
In Manila, the nonprofit Center for International Law (CenterLaw) said it would ask the Court of Appeals (CA) to resolve the pending appeals in the Maguindanao massacre cases and to judicially recognize journalist Reynaldo Momay, the 58th victim in the killings.
Tired of waiting
Gilbert Andres, CenterLaw’s executive director and legal counsel for 19 massacre victims, said his clients were “growing tired” over the unresolved matters pending before the CA.
“It’s very clear that the families we represent are still suffering from the traumas … They want a resolution from the CA already, regardless of what decision they will come up with, as long as there will be closure because justice has yet to be served,” Andres said.
In separate statements on Sunday, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) expressed support for the resolution of pending appeals, including the recognition of Momay and the damages sought by the victims’ heirs.
“We recognize the ongoing demand for justice across our nation, especially from the families who have suffered for years. This is not just a plea for retribution; it is a strong demand for accountability, for an end to impunity, and for assurance that such an act never happens again,” the PTFOMS said.
The PTFOMS, an office under President Marcos, pledged to continue working with all stakeholders to ensure legal processes are followed and to pursue full accountability for those responsible. —WITH REPORTS FROM GERMELINA LACORTE, DEXTER CABALZA AND DEMPSEY REYES
