Sara Duterte confirms invite to Zaldy Ampatuan daughter’s wedding but did not attend

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Friday confirmed she was invited to the wedding of a daughter of Maguindanao massacre primary accused Zaldy Ampatuan but said she did not attend the event.

Tuesday’s wedding of Bai Nor Aila Kristina Ampatuan to lawyer Mohammad Omar Somama became controversial due to the attendance of her father at the occasion courtesy of a court-sanctioned furlough and the list of sponsors that included ranking government officials.

The officials included Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, and Duterte.

“I received an invitation to the Samama-Ampatuan wedding but I did not attend the wedding,” Duterte said in a text message.

Go said he did not receive an invite and was not aware that he was listed as sponsor.

"Usual practice 'di nagpapaalam, nilalagay name niyo kahit di kayo nag-ok,” he said in a message to reporters.

Medialdea confirmed he was asked by the groom's family to be a godparent, "but I had to graciously excuse myself from attending because of prior engagement."

Dureza said he did not attend the wedding because he was in Davao City for some events.

Malacañang earlier expressed dismay over the furlough granted by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 to Ampatuan even as it assured the development will not affect the prosecution of murder cases.

The court earlier said it granted the furlough over "humanitarian" reasons. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News