Andal Ampatuan Sr ((December 4, 2009 - Photo by Jeoffrey Maitem/Getty Images AsiaPac)
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/08 Feb) – The Ampatuans, Mangudadatus, Midtimbangs, Sinsuats, Masturas, Sangkis comprise the majority among Maguindanao’s 879 candidates running for 374 posts: two congressional representatives to Congress, one governor, one vice-governor, 10 provincial board members, 36 mayors, 36 vice mayors and 288 municipal board members or councilors.
The Ampatuans lead the list of candidates with 50 carrying the same surname, at least 23 of them directly related to the patriarch, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr., and 18 with Ampatuan as middle name, according to records of the Commission on Elections (see list in article below)
Among the Ampatuans running are the patriarch, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr., the three-term governor of Maguindanao who resigned in January 2009 and returned as OIC governor in late 2009 (he was OIC governor when the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town happened).
He is running for vice governor as an Independent candidate against three others, including his daughter Shaydee Ampatuan-Abutazil. His other opponents are Ma-arouph Bajunaid Candao and Ismael “Dustin” Veloso Mastura.
Mukhang may niluluto na namang isang midnight deal itong administrasyong Arroyo. Ito ang kasunduan sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front na magkakaroon sila ng sariling nilang bansa sa ilalim ng Pilipinas.
Sariling bansa sa loob ng bansang Pilipinas? Hindi tama dahil kung magkaroon ng Bangsamoro substate, ay parang nagtanggal ka ng parte ng Pilipinas at binigay sa MILF.
Di ba yan ang ginawa ni Gloria Arroyo noong isang taon sa kamuntik lang matuloy na MOA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement-Ancestral Domain) na ipinabasura ng Supreme Court dahil labag ito sa Constitution?
Nagkita noong isang linggo ang GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) panel at ang MILF sa Kuala Lumpur at nagpalitan sila ng oputline ng kanilang proposal. Sabi ni Presidential Peace Adviser Annabelle Abaya na 17 pages daw ang sa kanila at 31 pages naman daw ang sa MILF.
Martial law will be lifted in Maguindanao at 9 p.m. Saturday, eight days after it was imposed by President Gloria Arroyo.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Arroyo lifted Proclamation No. 1959 on the recommendation of the Cabinet which concluded that the government has met its main objectives in placing Maguindanao under martial rule and suspending the writ of habeas corpus following the Nov. 23 massacre that left 57 people dead.
Ermita said, however, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City will remain under a state of emergency.
By ROMEL REGALADO BAGARES GENERAL SANTOS CITY.—Sixty-nine-year-old Maura Montaño seethed with anger when she was asked what she thought of the men—no, the monsters—who did…
VERA Files photojournalist Mario Ignacio took the following photos of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. as he underwent medical examination at his holiding cell…
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and members of the international community have condemned Monday’s massacre in Maguindanao, which left at least 46 civilians, including a…
The election-related massacre of at least a dozen journalists in Maguindanao province on Monday is among the deadliest single events recorded for the press worldwide.…
President Arroyo yesterday placed the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency following Monday’s massacre of around 40 family members of the Mangudadatu clan, their supporters and media men by around 100 armed men believed to be supporters of the Ampatuan clan in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province.
The state of emergency gives military and police wide powers of arrest and detention.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Proclamation Order No. 1946 was issued upon the recommendation of the Cabinet security cluster during the National Economic and Development Authority-National Anti-Poverty Commission Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Statement of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
It was a very sad day for our country yesterday. Forty people were reportedly abducted and killed in broad daylight allegedly by the security men of political warlords in Maguindanao with the possible involvement of some local law enforcement units.
The news may come as a shock for some but the truth is the brutal massacre merely highlighted what has been going on in many parts of our country all these years. This is ‘political warlordism’ at its worst! To make matters worse, the AFP/PNP are either accomplices, silents partners or helpless onlookers in these occurrences either by choice or through pressure from superiors. Often, the AFP/PNP area commanders are pressured or bribed by local politicians into issuing firearms for the latter ostensibly for security purposes but actually ends up being used for kidnapping, robbery, harassment/coercion, tribal wars and, in this case, a massacre of political foes. In an incident in 2001, then Col. Narcise, a newly assigned brigade commander in Basilan, recalled the government issued firearms of then Gov. Wahab Akbar but after a few days Col. Narcise was directed by then DND Sec. Reyes to return the said firearms to Akbar. The late Governor was a political ally of GMA and a personal friend of Reyes. Afterwards, Col. Narcise was unceremoniously relieved from his post by Reyes at the request of Akbar. Similar situations are happening in Maguindanao and other strife torn areas throughout the country.
That said, I will be filing a resolution on Monday calling for a Senate investigation on the Maguindanao massacre to find out the circumstances that led to this gruesome crime with a particular focus on the possible involvement/negligence of the AFP/PNP. Also, it intends to extract how many firearms have actually been issued by the AFP/PNP to all local officials not only in Maguindanao but all over the country with the end in view of recalling such firearms. Earlier, I have also filed a Gun Control Bill that intends to curb the proliferation of loose firearms. The bottom line is: WE HAVE TO GET THESE GUNS!
Now, this is just the first step. Ultimately, only an aggressive political/governance reform and development agenda can restore peace, progress and democracy in these areas. Let’s just hope Noynoy (or whoever will be the next president) has one.
“The state of emergency shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President,” Remonde said.
CAGAYAN DE ORO–Noong Martes ng hapon isang granada ang sumabog malapit sa City Hall ng Marawi City na ikinamatay ng isang tao at nasugatan naman ang mga 20.
Ayon Mindanews, sinabi raw ng mga nag imbestiga na mga opisyal na itinapon ng mga di-kilalang mga lalaki ang granada mga 50 metro nag layo sa opisina ng Commission on Election kung saan may ginagawang registration ng mga botante.
Sabi ni Carol Arguillas, publisher ng Mindanews, tinitiyak pa nila ang impormasyon na ang mga nagre-register ay galing sa Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
Nakakapagtaka ito kasi bakit ang mga taga Lanao del Norte ay nasa Marawi nagpa-paregister? Flying voters?
