Palace claims Maguindanao Massacre victims got justice under Duterte

Malacañang said Monday justice has been served in the Maguindanao massacre case following the conviction of the masterminds and their accomplices in December last year.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, a former private prosecutor in the case, said some members of the influential Ampatuan clan are in jail for orchestrating the massacre 11 years ago.

“Nakamit na po ang hustisya sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte – at least po, nakakulong na ngayon iyong magkapatid na Ampatuan,” Roque told a news conference in Davao City, referring to former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan.

“At ito po ay katarungan na rin para sa mga biktima at mga kamag-anak ng mga namatay nang nahatulan ng guilty ang mga nagplano ng Maguindanao massacre.”

The victims' families, however, believe that the fight for justice is far from over nearly one year since a trial court convicted the masterminds and their accomplices.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes' ruling is still being appealed: those found guilty are questioning the conviction, and the victims' families are seeking more in damages, continuing a legal battle that may reach the Supreme Court before it is decided with finality.

Seventy-six defendants are at large, and a second wave of complaints at the Department of Justice resulted in the indictment of only eight of 48 respondents.

"We're now on the 11th year and we are still here because there are still matters that have to be considered and there are matters that need to be acted upon," said Nena Santos, lawyer for the victims' families. "The fight is not yet over."

The family of photojournalist Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, the 58th victim whose remains were never found, also has a pending appeal.

Seventy-six defendants are at large, and a second wave of complaints at the Department of Justice resulted in the indictment of only eight of 48 respondents.

“May mga suspect pa rin po na hanggang ngayon ay nakakatakas ngunit mahuhuli rin po iyan at pananagutin sa ilalim ng ating mga batas. We will never forget,” Roque said.

The massacre on November 23, 2009 claimed the lives of 58 people, including 32 journalists who were accompanying the wife of then-Buluan, Maguindanao vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu and his supporters in filing his certificate of candidacy for governor.

Mangudadatu was then about to go against Andal Jr. in the 2010 gubernatorial race. -NB, GMA News