Summary
Highlights
The video opens by highlighting the extreme brutality of the Ampatuan Massacre, where 58 people, including 32 journalists, were killed in a single day by a powerful political clan in Maguindanao. The speaker, a journalist for nearly two decades, emphasizes the profound impact this event had on him, the journalism industry, the Philippines, and the world.
On November 23, 2009, newsrooms like ABS-CBN received initial tips and photos of lifeless bodies in Maguindanao. This shocking information, verified through calls and on-site reporting, confirmed a massacre had occurred. The incident unfolded during the lead-up to national and local elections, with a focus on candidate certificate filings.
The massacre stemmed from a political rivalry between Esmael 'Toto' Mangudadatu, who was running for governor, and the incumbent Ampatuan clan. The Ampatuans, led by patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his sons Andal Jr. ('Unsay') and Zaldy, held immense power in Maguindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Toto Mangudadatu, receiving death threats, sent his pregnant wife, Genalyn, and other female relatives, along with lawyers and journalists, to file his Certificate of Candidacy, believing women would be unharmed due to Muslim traditions.
The convoy, comprising six vehicles, departed without security despite concerns about armed men on the highway. At a police checkpoint in Ampatuan town, they were stopped and surrounded by armed men. The passengers were forced out, and Unsay Ampatuan Jr. arrived with police and more armed men, ordering everyone to lie down and confiscating their belongings. Two other civilian vehicles, mistakenly thought to be part of the convoy, were also held, and a desperate call from Gigi Mangudadatu to her husband Toto was cut short as she was attacked.
Witnesses reported the victims were severely beaten and begged for mercy. Unsay reportedly called his father, Andal Sr., who ordered everyone killed, including the media. The convoy was driven to a remote, hilly area where pre-dug graves and a backhoe registered to Andal Ampatuan Sr. awaited. Atty. Cynthia Oquendo, a lawyer in the convoy, sent distress messages before her phone went dead. The victims were systematically shot, with Gigi Mangudadatu shot multiple times by Unsay himself. Even after death, the shooting continued. Vehicles were then pushed into the graves and covered by the backhoe.
Toto Mangudadatu, restless with worry, secured a helicopter and spotted the backhoe digging. The armed men fled when they learned the military was approaching. The 601st Infantry Brigade, acting on abduction reports, found the massacre site by 3 PM, discovering 21 bodies and others in shallow graves. In total, 58 people were killed, including Toto's relatives, motorists, and 32 journalists. The immediate aftermath left families, like Jergin, daughter of reporter Gina Dela Cruz, with immense grief and responsibility.
Despite the evidence, arresting the powerful Ampatuans was challenging. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a state of emergency, allowing raids and weapon seizures. Nearly 200 people, including Ampatuan family members and police, were charged. The investigation revealed the massacre was planned months in advance by the Ampatuans. Key testimonies came from Sukarno Badal, a former vice mayor and private army member turned state witness, and Lakmudin Saliao, a household helper. Andal Ampatuan Jr. surrendered, denying involvement, and martial law was declared, leading to the arrests of Zaldy and Andal Sr.
The 'Trial of the Decade' spanned ten years, with witnesses threatened and many accused dying, including Andal Ampatuan Sr. in 2015. On December 19, 2019, Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes found Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan guilty of 57 counts of murder, sentencing them to reclusion perpetua. A total of 43 individuals were convicted, including 28 for murder and 15 as accessories, while 56 were acquitted and 80 remained at large. The 58th victim's body was never found, leading to 57 counts. The convicted Ampatuans are appealing the verdict, leaving many victims' families with mixed emotions and a sense of incomplete justice.