No sympathy for mass murderers
Government lawyers have formally asked the court trying the Maguindanao massacre case to order principal accused Zaldy Ampatuan’s return to jail from the Makati hospital where he is presently seeking treatment.
In a manifestation dated November 22 to Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn A. Solis-Reyes, prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Olivia L. Torrevillas and Tofel G. Austria said the court “should now stop extending so much grace, sympathy or concern to accused Zaldy Ampatuan but has to act firmly and with an iron hand to prevent any untoward contingency while its decision is still underway”.
The prosecutors noted that Ampatuan is still being confined at the Makati Medical Center “without any certainty and/or definite date on when he will be finally discharged therefrom.”
The relentless quest for justice for the victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 gruesome Maguindanao massacre should continue beyond the expected promulgation of judgment next month against the principal suspects in the killings. Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the… Read More
They requested the “immediate return of PDL Zaldy Ampatuan to the Quezon City Jail Annex, Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, or in the alternative to augment and/or tighten the security measures against the accused to preclude any possibility of his escape.”
“To the mind of the prosecution panel, there is no longer any need for accused Zaldy to be continuously confined at the Makati Medical Center since he is only now undergoing physical and occupational therapy, which procedure can be undertaken or done at his detention facility in Taguig City,” the prosecutors added.
In a letter dated November 19 to Solis-Reyes, Makati City Jail Superintendent Warden Jhon D. Montero of the Quezon City Jail said Ampatuan remains at a hospital in Makati City less than a month before the deadline of the promulgation of the case
“In the alternative, should accused Zaldy’s retention at the Makati Med be necessary, that security personnel guarding him be augmented to ensure that he can never take flight,” the motion read.
Montero said Ampatuan had been in the Intensive Care Unit for one week from October 22 to October 29 before he was transferred to a regular room on the afternoon of October 29. The letter noted that Ampatuan is “still confined with continuous physical therapy and occupational therapy for plegic left arm.”
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court (SC) granted the request of Solis-Reyes for more time to come up with a decision.
Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said the court considered the huge volume of evidence and parties in the case in giving a 30-day extension to Solis-Reyes. Under court rules, all trial courts should promulgate their decision within the 90-day period after the case has been submitted for decision.
The case has been submitted for decision on August 22 which means the deadline for its promulgation should have been on November 20, three days before the massacre’s 10th anniversary on November 23.
The Quezon City court now has until December 20 to decide the case.
The attack resulted in the death of 58 people, including 32 journalists and media workers, the single worst peace-time incident involving the killing of newsmen.
Other victims were family members and supporters of the Ampatuan clan’s political foe, Esmael Mangudadatu. (PNA)
THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE
THE MASS MURDERERS
“We expect that justice will ultimately prevail for the victims and their families,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, co-chairperson of the PTFoMS, said in a statement.
THE DURIAN POST 