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Massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Sr. passes away
By MARK MERUEÑAS, GMA News
(Updated 8:14 a.m., July 18) Andal Ampatuan Sr., patriarch of the Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao province and suspect in the worst case of election-related violence in Philippine history, died on Friday night, his lawyer said.
"It saddens me to inform the public that former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. has passed away just a few minutes ago," lawyer Ferdinand Topacio told GMA News Online in an interview.
"Details regarding the death are sketchy at the moment," Topacio added.
Andal Sr., who had been comatose at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute since Monday after suffering a heart attack, had been battling advanced stage liver cancer.
He was 74 years old.
Bai Mayan Sinsuat, an in-law of the Ampatuan patriarch, also confirmed the death.
He was 74 years old.
Bai Mayan Sinsuat, an in-law of the Ampatuan patriarch, also confirmed the death.
Topacio said Ampatuan's death "will be treated in accordance with Islamic custom."
"The family is requesting for privacy in their moment of bereavement," the lawyer added.
Topacio said doctors at the NKTI will announce time and cause of death. He added he also cannot tell, for privacy reasons, who was with the patriarch during his last moments.
Mood had been ‘upbeat’ earlier in the week
Mood had been ‘upbeat’ earlier in the week
The last time he visited Ampatuan on Wednesday, Topacio described the mood inside the hospital room as being "upbeat."
"Sabi ko nga, two days ago, he was alive and literally kicking kasi sumisipa siya. Kapag sinasabi mong, 'Kung naririnig ninyo ako, can you acknowledge?' At sumisipa siya," recounted the lawyer.
Topacio said the clan patriarch was showing "responses to conversations" with his loved ones and his lawyers.
The lawyer said a family member even told him on Thursday that Andal Sr. was able to "ingest some liquid like milk."
The former governor had been in the hospital for almost two months since complaining of abdominal pains while held in a maximum security jail in Manila.
Maguindanao massacre
The murder trial of the elder Ampatuan and seven other clan members has moved excruciatingly slowly over the past five years.
The Ampatuans allegedly orchestrated the slaughter of 58 people in their area in November 2009, in an attempt to stop a rival clan's election challenge.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described the mass murders as the single deadliest event for journalists in history. Even before the massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.
Andal Sr. was in politics for decades. He was vice mayor of Maganoy town (now called Shariff Aguak) before the People Power Revolution in 1986. After the revolution, he was appointed acting mayor of the town. In 1998, he ran and won as governor of Maguindanao province.
Early Saturday morning, his remains were brought by an ambulance of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology back to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig from NKTI. — with Ferdinandh Cabrera and Reuters/JDS/KG, GMA News
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described the mass murders as the single deadliest event for journalists in history. Even before the massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.
There was no immediate statement from his rival, two-time Governor Esmael Mangadadatu, who lost his wife, sister and an aunt in the gruesome murders. Government prosecutors also did not make any statement.
"I wish that he was able to seek forgiveness in his death bed," said Reynafe Momay, daughter of a photojournalist, one of 32 press workers murdered.
"He should have apologized to his victims. I pity his family who lost him. I am not happy he died."
Andal Sr. was in politics for decades. He was vice mayor of Maganoy town (now called Shariff Aguak) before the People Power Revolution in 1986. After the revolution, he was appointed acting mayor of the town. In 1998, he ran and won as governor of Maguindanao province.
Early Saturday morning, his remains were brought by an ambulance of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology back to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig from NKTI. — with Ferdinandh Cabrera and Reuters/JDS/KG, GMA News
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