By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
Malacañang said that the State will do everything to bring justice to the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre almost nine years ago.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after a private lawyer for the families of the 35 victims said five witnesses were offered bribes to recant their testimonies against the killers.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque
(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN) Lawyer Nena Santos claimed that five witnesses were offered P150,000, M-16 rifles for self-defense, P10,000 monthly allowance and houses in Datu Unsay town, Maguindanao. One of the five witnesses accepted the offer, she said. In a text message, Roque said that he has no information about the reported bribe but said that is one likely reason why the witness would recant their statement. “No info but it's only viable explanation why that one witness recanted,” Roque, a private former prosecutor in the multiple murder cases, said. Roque said the supposed bribery is a sign that like the accused are now desperate. “The accused are desperate but so is the State. The State will do everything to frustrate the forces of evil and PRRD has personally promised justice to the victims,” he said. The Maguindanao Massacre, described as the worst violent election-related incident in recent Philippine history, happened on November 23, 2009. It resulted to the death of 58 people, including 32 members of the media. The incident stemmed from the filing of certificate of candidacy of then Buluan town vice mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu against Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of the powerful Ampatuan clan in the province, for the position of governor during the 2010 national and local polls. Early this month, Roque said that he would request President Duterte to meet Department of Justice prosecutors amid reports of supposed efforts by some quarters for witnesses to recant their testimonies against members of the Ampatuan clan. Malacañang early this year said that Duterte instructed the government prosecutors to push for partial resolution of the cases against some of the accused within the year. The cases are pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221. “Iyan po ang marching orders ng Presidente sa prosecution panel and that’s why I think iyong pagpapatawag sa kanila is pursuant to the marching order of the President (Those are the marching orders of the President to the prosecution panel; and that’s why I think their being called is pursuant to the marching order of the President),” Roque had said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN) Lawyer Nena Santos claimed that five witnesses were offered P150,000, M-16 rifles for self-defense, P10,000 monthly allowance and houses in Datu Unsay town, Maguindanao. One of the five witnesses accepted the offer, she said. In a text message, Roque said that he has no information about the reported bribe but said that is one likely reason why the witness would recant their statement. “No info but it's only viable explanation why that one witness recanted,” Roque, a private former prosecutor in the multiple murder cases, said. Roque said the supposed bribery is a sign that like the accused are now desperate. “The accused are desperate but so is the State. The State will do everything to frustrate the forces of evil and PRRD has personally promised justice to the victims,” he said. The Maguindanao Massacre, described as the worst violent election-related incident in recent Philippine history, happened on November 23, 2009. It resulted to the death of 58 people, including 32 members of the media. The incident stemmed from the filing of certificate of candidacy of then Buluan town vice mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu against Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of the powerful Ampatuan clan in the province, for the position of governor during the 2010 national and local polls. Early this month, Roque said that he would request President Duterte to meet Department of Justice prosecutors amid reports of supposed efforts by some quarters for witnesses to recant their testimonies against members of the Ampatuan clan. Malacañang early this year said that Duterte instructed the government prosecutors to push for partial resolution of the cases against some of the accused within the year. The cases are pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221. “Iyan po ang marching orders ng Presidente sa prosecution panel and that’s why I think iyong pagpapatawag sa kanila is pursuant to the marching order of the President (Those are the marching orders of the President to the prosecution panel; and that’s why I think their being called is pursuant to the marching order of the President),” Roque had said.