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Massacre in Maguindanao

by Fr Eliseo Mercado, OMI

The COMELEC resolution transferring its satellite office in Sharif Aguak and the requirement to file the certificates of candidacy in the `capitol' is NOT as innocent as it looks unless COMELEC were born yesterday!This COMELEC decision has forced the Mangudadatu to go into the heartland of the Ampatuan clan. The Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu decided to go and file his certificate of candidacy. But he was prevailed upon by the mother to let the women do the filing. The clan believed that Toto's presence in Aguak may lead to actual bloodshed. The mother and the religious leaders believed that an all-women delegation accompanied by media people and women lawyers would be respected. Islam strongly enjoins believers to respect women and children even during times of war.As a double insurance for the delegation, the Mangudadatu has asked for police escorts from the PNP Provincial command. It refused to do so. Understanding the perceived partisanship of the Maguindanao PNP, the clan asked for military escort from the 601st Brigade that has an operational responsibility for area. They were told that the AFP does not give escort to politicians. The clan appealed to the highest military command in the region for a security escort for the women. They were assured by the highest military command that the `road is safe and there will be no need to worry'.With that assurance, the all-women delegation began the trek to Sharif Aguak. At crossing Salman along the national highway in broad daylight in Ampatuan municipality, the convoy was stopped including the other vehicles accidentally passing by that momentous time by hundreds of armed groups believed to be CVOs that included some officials of the PNP in the province and a local mayor positively identified by the Mangudadatu. The entire convoy where led to an open pit dug by the provincial engineering equipment. There the carnage began with brutality and no mercy for women, children and the members of the media. The last vehicle in the convoy, delayed by few minutes, saw the whole gang stopping the convoy and made positive identification. It turned back with speed and asked for help. But alas, the help came too late. There were no survivors! The first count was 21 fatalities in the afternoon of the same day. These were the bodies left on the ground and in the vehicles because of the haste. The second day, the body count reached 46 as investigators began to dig the mass graves. On the third day, the number has reached more than 60. They were all murdered with so much brutality that can only be compared to victims of savage animals in the wild.The digging continues and the body counts continue to rise. The Mangudadatu can only account for 40 members of their convoy. Beyond that number were innocents passersby who happened to be traveling the same road at that particular moment. These innocent passersby include children!They buried the whole vehicles with the murdered passengers. Seemingly, the intent was to bury all the vehicles and all the victims in that big hole dug by the Provincial `backhoe'. But there was news that the troops were coming. This made the perpetrators to hurriedly leave the scene without completing their evil intent.Today, the people of Maguindanao and Cotabato City are in total disbelief for what they are hearing over the radio as the massacre continues to unfold. They are stunned and shocked! The real word is feeling of revulsion for how things stand in the province and the community.COMELEC has now allowed filing of candidacy in the City and in Sultan Kudarat without filing for an exception. It has also returned the satellite office in the city. COMELEC shares the blame for this massacre. Ignorance can never be an excuse! It is a very costly political decision!Knowing the close tie between the President Arroyo and the Ampatuan, the Presidency and the national government are directly held accountable! People ask will there be immediate arrests of the identified perpetrators of the massacre? Three days have passed by and there is not a single arrest made yet...! Will there be honest and objective investigation of the massacre? While we debate over the massacre, the perpetrators and the hundreds of CVOs, bearing high-powered firearms, and identified leaders of the massacre roam freely and with impunity. Onli in da Pilipins!

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