(Two parts)
by Carolyn O. Arguillas
Mindanews and VERA Files
Part I
Mangudadatu intends to be far from this place, the bailiwick of the Ampatuans who are standing trial for the Nov. 23 massacre that left his wife Genalyn and 57 other civilians dead in what is now known as the worst case of pre-election violence in the country’s history.
The former Buluan vice mayor who beat the Ampatuans’ gubernatorial bet Datu Ombra Sinsuat in the May 10 elections intends to restore the provincial capitol in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat town, which the Ampatuans abandoned after the patriarch Andal Sr. was elected governor in 2001. While waiting for the old capitol to be restored, Mangudadatu will hold office in a building behind the Buluan town hall “for very important reasons,” he stressed.
Click here (VERA Files) for the rest of the story.
Part II
SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao.—In the province where the worst pre-election violence in Philippine history happened on Nov. 23, there was reason to celebrate when the worst-case scenarios on election day did not happen.
Soldiers and policemen were already tearing down the posters of candidates and other election paraphernalia a day after the elections. At the provincial capitol grounds, soldiers sought refuge from the searing heat under trees like it were an ordinary day.
Two days after the elections, the 6th Infantry Division hosted a breakfast meeting at Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat town to celebrate the success of the country’s first automated elections, particularly Maguindanao’s “generally peaceful” polls.
Click here (VERA Files) for the rest of the story.
By the time election period rolled around, all eyes were on Maguindanao, and election day was peaceful, for the first time in a long while.
That this has become a reality is short of a miracle. of course we know what it cost. At least 57 lives who are still seeking for justice.
But this should not make the public complacent. The Ampatuans are still capable of a comeback.
Toto Mangudadatu as well as his Vice Gov, Dustin Mastura are very articulate and appear to be both Manila-educated. I saw one episode in ANC were both were interviewed and they talked sense. Very different from the Ampatuans who speak like your DVD-hawker at the street corner.
Returning the capitol building to South Cotabato will only put the Mangudadatus in the very same situation as the Ampatuans who have set fortress in Sharif Aguak. We can just hope Toto and his family will not grow into the same monsters that their predecessors have become.
Smart move! He knows that the Ampatuans are dangerous and treacherous.
the Ampatuan monsters must be sent to hell, in order to bring peace and democracy back to Maguindanao. the new governor has the rare chance now to prove his worth, his victory was won with the death of 47 innocent lives, which included his wife , sister and supporters
With the balance of power tilted in the other family’s favor, I don’t think Maguindanao will now be one big ice cream parlor. I hope Gov. Toto is a stronger person than I am because if I were in his shoes, the devil can try all he can to stop me from collecting the Ampatuans’ “debts”.
Ibalik na lang ang death penalty. Not by firing squad. Not by lethal injection. Not by electric chair. Magastos pa ‘yang mga ‘yan, eh.
Have it by hanging o kaya’y pugot ulo. O kaya, sa pamamagitan ng dalawang magkatalikurang kabayo. Itali sa ulo at sa mga paa ang kriminal saka sabay hampasin ang mga kabayo.
Kaya hindi nangingimi ang mga pusakal na ‘yan sa paggawa ng krimen ay dahil sa pakikialam ng mga kuno ay pro life na grupong wala din namang nagagawang ikagagaling ng biktimang publiko.
Dapat ding matitino ang mga huwes, piskal at husgado at hindi bayaran ang mga abogado.
“……..because if I were in his shoes, the devil can try all he can to stop me from collecting the Ampatuans’ “debts”. – Tongue.
Lalo’t ang devil ay nakabalatkayong si Dayana Mendoza, tapos ang prinsipyo ni Gob. Tongue.
He he he heeeh!
Kung demonyong nagbalat-tao lang yang si Dayana, e susugurin ko na yan. Pag nakita ko’y iipitin ko ang leeg niya sa aking mga bisig. At hihigupin ko ang lahat na hininga niya sa bibig habang dinadaganan ko para hindi makapalag.
Pag nanlaban ay tatarakan ko na, Magno. Sasabihin mo na naman in C Minor.
Kapag ginawa mo ‘yun, Tongue, eh ‘di nagkapalit na kayo. Ikaw naman ang demonyong nagkatawang tao.
Ang labas nu’n, hindi na in C minor kundi ‘D’ major. Alam mo na ang ibig sabihin ng magkabilang apostrophe ng D.
Ang inaalala ko lang, dahil mahilig si Dayana sa mga brusko, siya naman ang hihigo sa lahat ng hininga mo, magkakapalit na man kayo. Wala ng katapusan.
Kuuuuuu! Bahala na nga kayong dalawa. Baka maloko pa ako!
Hoy, naunahan na kayo ni Skip, nandun sya sa smartmatic. 🙂
Wala na palang sisipsipin si Tongue?
Hipan na la’ang niya.
Hihigupin pala!
Ipinag-aadya ka, Tongue.
Taong tao ka pa rin na katawang tao.
Puwede ka pang mangumpisal nang hindi uusok ang katawan.
He he he heeeh!
I heard that the family of Toto is just as powerful as the Ampatuans. Marami ding arsenal ng bala. I just hope that the governnment will not arm his family the way they did with the Ampatuans. The Ampatuans were used to neutralize the Abus, MILF and MNLF and in the process turned themselves into worse than these disdained groups.
It is so sad that a lot of people had to be killed, including his wife, for Toto to win.
One thing that struck me when Toto lost his wife. He never lost his composure. Mukhang matigas ang isang ito.
Napnsin ko nga chi. Kahit sa FB panay ang puri, kahit pa noong hindi makapagtransmit, ang ganda raw ng technology dahil hindi lang naman isang SIM card ang pwede, kung sumablay yung Globe, pwede ang Smart o Sun. Pambihira, dagdag gastos pa rin, hindi raw palpak, hehehe.