A lawmaker from Mindanao has expressed relief with the recent junking of Maguindanao massacre prime suspect Datu Andal ‘Unsay’ Ampatuan Junior’s motion to reopen the trial of what is said to be the world’s single-deadliest attack on journalists in history.
In a recent order, Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 denied for lack of merit—Datu Unsay’s motion to reopen the trial along with its motion to suspend set promulgation of judgment of the case.
Maguindanao’s Second District Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu said: “I am relieved with the junking of the motion. We have been patiently waiting for the verdict. It has been 10 long, debilitating years but we remain optimistic that justice will be ours.
“It was never easy for us to lose our loved ones. At some point, some of us have lost faith that we will ever see justice. But God has been good in making us realize that the wait will be all worth it,” Mangudadatu said.
Last August, the Department of Justice announced that a verdict will be rendered before the 10th anniversary of the infamous massacre after the prosecution panel has presented more than sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction, at least against the principal accused in the case.
However, just this month, Datu Unsay, through his lawyer Paul Laguata, filed a motion claiming that the prosecution’s primary witness, former Vice Mayor Sakurno Badal, has supposedly sent fillers to Datu Unsay’s camp allegedly expressing his willingness to recant his testimony.
To answer the allegation, the prosecution presented Badal last Oct.17 to court where he denied the recant claims of the Ampatuan camp.
Badal, a suspect-turned-state-witness testified that as early as 2009, the Ampatuan clan has been plotting to eliminate Mangundadatu after the latter conveyed his interest to run against Datu Unsay for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao gubernatorial seat. He also testified that during the day of the massacre, he overhead the late Andal Ampatuan Sr., then incumbent Maguindanao governor, ordered Datu Unsay to kill everyone, including members of the media who were covering the filing of Mangudadatu’s candidacy via his wife accompanied by his sisters.
Badal even said that he made a decision a long time ago that he will never withdraw or change his testimonies even if it costs him his life.
“It is not new to me for the suspects to resort to such tactics. But I will remain steadfast in trusting that justice shall prevail and that the system is working for the just,” Mangudadatu said.