Ampatuan kin tops AFP course

MANILA, Philippines - A member of the Ampatuan clan topped the latest Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Command and General Staff Course (CGSC), a requisite for military promotion.

Army Lt. Col. Taharudin Ampatuan, nephew of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., bested 105 other officers who graduated from the six-month course. He completed his Masters in Public Management, major in development and security with an average of 95.94.

Ampatuan said his father, Datu Hassan Ampatuan, is a cousin of Andal Sr. and a businessman. His mother, Bai Matandi, is a member of the Datu Piang clan.

He said he does not let his family ties disrupt the performance of his duties but admitted that the issues surrounding his relatives affected him emotionally.

But he said a soldier should learn to set aside emotions from service.

“I’m in a way affected emotionally with what happened with our family but outside of that, the bottom line is still the service,” he told reporters after the CGSC graduation rites last Friday at Camp Aguinaldo.

Ampatuan said he was the executive officer of the 603rd Infantry Brigade based in Maguindanao when the bloody massacre happened on Nov. 23, 2009.

He was one of the soldiers who implemented martial law in the province, which allowed state troops to raid the various properties of the Ampatuans. The raids led to the arrest of members of the Ampatuan clan and the seizure of numerous ammunitions and firearms within the clan’s property.

Ampatuan, the only soldier in his family, said he has always wanted to serve the country as a soldier.

“Ever since, I’m very clear (with my) service… Ever since the Ampatuans are actually in public service,” he said, but added he is also hopeful that the families of the 57 massacre victims would attain the justice they are seeking.

“There was no justification for what have happened in the area. In fact the whole clan would like also to have justice,” he said.

Ampatuan said he may soon be assigned to the Army’s first division in Zamboanga. He said people bearing the surname Ampatuan should not be judged negatively because of the infamous massacre.

“My public service actually is an open book and I have always (shied) away from political activities. My focus is the military but I would not deny that my mother and my father are very political families,” he said.

The Ampatuans were accused of plotting the Maguindanao massacre, said to be the bloodiest election-related violence in the country.

The incident claimed the lives of 57 people including members of the Ampatuan’s rival family Mangudadatu, journalists and innocent civilians. Authorities suspect that the motive behind the killings was political rivalry.