On the 11th anniversary of the gruesome Maguindanao massacre, the government has pledged to continue to run after suspects still at large and bring them to justice.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government would not forget the tragedy and hold accountable those who have eluded authorities.
“Ngayong araw, November 23, ating inaalala po ang Maguindanao massacre, may labing-isang taon na ang nakalipas (Today, November 23, we remember the Maguindanao massacre 11 years after it happened),” he said during a virtual Palace press briefing Monday.
“May mga suspect pa rin po na hanggang ngayon ay nakakatakas ngunit mahuhuli rin po iyan at pananagutin sa ilalim ng ating mga batas. We will never forget (There are suspects who escaped but they will be caught and held accountable under our laws. We will never forget),” he added.
Roque claimed that justice has been attained following the 2019 local court decision that convicted several people, including some members of the Ampatuan clan, for the Maguindanao massacre. They were sentenced up to 40 years imprisonment.
The November 23, 2009 killing of 58 people, including 32 journalists, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao is considered the worst media killing as well as worst election-related violence in the country's history. The victims were part of a convoy accompanying the group of then Buluan town Vice Mayor and now Maguindanao Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu to file his certificate of candidacy for the 2010 gubernatorial election.
“Nakamit na po ang hustisya sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte – at least po, nakakulong na ngayon iyong magkapatid na Ampatuan. At ito po ay katarungan na rin para sa mga biktima at mga kamag-anak ng mga namatay nang nahatulan ng guilty ang mga nagplano ng Maguindanao massacre (Justice has been achieved under the Duterte administration. At least the Ampatuan brothers are now in jail. This is also justice for the victims and their families when the suspects were found guilty of planning the Maguindanao massacre),” Roque said.