By Gabriela Baron
Maguindanao Representative Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu on Monday said he was happy with the result of the verdict in the Maguindanao massacre case, but added that he remained confused on why Sajid Islam Ampatuan was acquitted.
Esmael Mangudadatu, whose wife and relatives were one of the victims in 2009 Maguindanao massacre, gestures as he steps out the court inside a prison jail at Camp Bagong Diwa (Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)
In an interview with CNN, Mangudadatu noted that Sajid Ampatuan, who was the officer-in-charge of Maguindanao province at the time of the crime, could have stopped the massacre that claimed 58 lives on November 23, 2019.
"Happy, fair naman yung verdict, pero dun kay Sajid, governor sya that time, pwede naman syang umorder na wag nyong gawin yan mga pulis, governor ako. wag nyo ipunta doon sa area,"
(I feel happy and for me, I think the verdict is fair, but I don't understand the acquittal of Sajid, he was the governor at that time, he could have ordered the cops to stop.)
Sajid, son of Ampatuan patriarch Andal Sr., was among those who were acquitted by Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes on December 19.
"For failure of the prosecution to discharge its duty, this court has no other option except to exonerate him from the crimes charged," read Solis Reyes decision.
Meanwhile, Sajid's brothers Andal Ampatuan Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan, and Datu Anwar Ampatuan Sr. have been convicted of 57 counts of murder.
"Kasi sinabi kahit di ka part ng execution, basta nandun ka sa planning at di ka nagsalita, you're part of the crime. Pero the fact na governor sya that time, he has the capacity to stop the policemen, kasama sya," Mangudadatu reiterated.
(I thought they said that even if you weren’t in the crime scene but have knowledge of the murder plot and you didn’t speak up, you’re still part of the crime. But at that time, he was the governor, and he had the capacity to stop the policemen.)
Witness Sukarno Badal testified that Sajid was present during a meeting at a hotel in Manila to discuss the plan to kill Toto Mangudadatu four months before the massacre.
However, no witness came forward to point to Sajid as being present when the crime was committed, according to the court.
"Sana makatao yung decision nila, sana maisip nila na si Sajid kasama (I hope the Courts realize that Sajid is also guilty.),"
Even though justice has been served, Mangudadatu recognized that the fight was still far from being over.
"It's a long journey, it's a long fight. We continue fighting but within the bounds of law, hindi kami yung ngipin sa ngipin (tooth for tooth), baril sa baril (gun for gun)," he ended.