Ampatuan: Let's not speculate

MANILA, Philippines - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan appealed yesterday to Maguindanao’s Christian and Muslim communities not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding Monday’s massacre in Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town and instead allow authorities to finish their investigation and identify the culprits as well as the real motive for the attack.

“We need to give the Philippine National Police ample time to finish its investigation on this incident. Meantime, we need to avoid speculations. We have to listen to reason, not to emotions,” Ampatuan said in an emailed statement.

“We in the ARMM have complete trust and confidence in the PNP,” Ampatuan said.

The carnage left more than 40 people dead, including the wife and female relatives of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismail “Toto” Mangudadatu. Also killed were lawyers and more than a dozen journalists.

The ARMM governor is the elder brother of Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao, who was tagged by the Mangudadatu clan as the one who led the attack in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town in Maguindanao.

Mangudadatu said his wife and her companions, including the journalists, were on their way to the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak town to file a certificate of candidacy for governor on his behalf when armed men reportedly led by the younger Ampatuan stopped their convoy in Barangay Salman. The victims bore gunshot and hack wounds.

Relatives of Ampatuan, however, said they were not surprised by Mangudadatu’s allegation claiming it was politically motivated.

Not hiding

Meanwhile, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza has received assurances from Mayor Ampatuan himself that he would submit himself for questioning by the police on his alleged involvement in the massacre.

“They (Dureza and Mayor Ampatuan) met at Shariff Aguak about 4 p.m. (yesterday) and discussed the issue of Mayor Ampatuan presenting himself for an investigation to dispel rumors that he is in hiding,” said Norie Unas, Maguindanao’s provincial administrator.

Unas said contrary to reports, the mayor is not in hiding.

Some of the victims are related by blood to Mangudadatu.

“Mayor Ampatuan will present himself for questioning by the police. We just have to leave everything to the police and wait for the outcome of their investigation on the incident,” Unas said.

Palace’s regret

Malacañang officials said they deeply regret their failure to reconcile the rival Ampatuan and Mangudadatu clans.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, however, stressed the Palace will wait for the findings of the investigation and is not yet blaming anyone for the incident.

He said both clans are allies of the administration and members of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

“It pains me, and other colleagues of mine, of our apparent failure to reach an amicable political settlement,” Claudio told reporters. “We consider this incident, this massacre as beyond comprehension, beyond justification, beyond sanity,” he added.                     

“We are careful not to point to anybody… we are not identifying any suspects yet,” he said. with Paolo Romero