MANILA, Philippines – Relatives of 13 journalists slain in the November 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao brought a landmark suit Wednesday before the newly-established ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to hold the Philippine government accountable for the carnage.
Lawyer Harry Roque of the Manila-based Center for International Law said the 23-page “preliminary request” to the Jakarta-based body seeks a declaration from the AICHR calling on the Philippine government to ensure that the perpetrators of massacre are brought to justice and adequate reparations are made to the heirs of the victims under applicable rules of international law.
He said a declaration by the Commission on the accountability of the Philippine government over the massacre is urgent, citing “a strong evidence of complicity” between the perpetrators of the massacre and key officials of the Philippine government.
“What is involved in this suit is more than a political declaration. A declaration from the Commission means that ASEAN is serious in its quest to promote human rights in the region. It also brings to the attention of the international community the accountability of the Philippine government for the massacre,” he said in a statement.
Represented in the suit are the families of journalists Robert “Bebot” Momay of Midland Review in Tacurong City; Joy Duhay of Goldstar Daily in Cagayan De Oro City; Santos “Jun” P. Gatchalian Jr., and Lindo Lupogan of Mindanao Gazette in Davao City; Joel V. Parcon of Prontierra News in Koronadal City; Bienvenido Legarta Jr., and Rey Merisco of Periodico Ini in Koronadala City; Napoleon Salaysay of Clearview Gazette in Cotabato City; Alejandro “Bong” Reblando of the Manila Bulletin in Manila; and Victor Nuñez, Daniel Tiamzon, Mc.Delbert Arriola and Julito Evardo of the UNTV crew in General Santos City.
Families of the victims charge that the suspects in the massacre – key members of the Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao – could not have carried out the slaughter without the willing support of top officials of the Philippine government.
They cited as one evidence of this the recent testimony in court of Buluan town Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudatutu in the murder trial of the principal suspect in the massacre, Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. It could be recalled that the Vice Mayor had charged that then Defense Secretary and administration candidate for the presidential election Gilbert Teodoro and other Malacañang officials knew of the violent nature of the Ampatuans but failed to stop them from bullying their political rivals in Maguindanao, the Magundadatus.
They also faulted top Army officials – Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton, commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division and Col. Medardo Geslani, commanding officer of the 601st Brigade – who inexplicably turned down repeated requests from the Mangudadatus as well as from members of the media to provide security escorts for the convoy led by the Vice Mayor’s wife Genalyn to the Commissions on Elections office in Shariff Aguak town. –abs-cbnNEWS.com
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