Mangudadatu seeks House inquiry on court furlough given to Zaldy Ampatuan

Maguindanao Representative Zajid Mangudadatu on Friday said that he would file a resolution in the lower house to probe the furlough granted to Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the accused in the bloody Maguindanao massacre.

"Yung resolution, (it's to) conduct an investigation, inquiry dun sa pag-approve nila (court) ng motion for furlough without informing (us)," said Mangudadatu, who plans to file the resolution on Tuesday, in a press briefing in Quezon City.

"Kasi walang specific guidelines yung korte natin. That is the discretion of the judge or the justice to grant the furlough of a certain accused or convicted person," he added.

Furthermore, his family plans to "file objections to any further requests from the accused without us being notified."

Mangudadatu on Ampatuan’s furlough: “We decry the granting of the furlough of Zaldy Ampatuan... The Ampatuans have taken so much from the families of the 58 victims, we will not let them keep taking from us every time they are out of prison.” pic.twitter.com/0jlBBvAwgK

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) August 24, 2018

"The Ampatuans have taken so much from the families of the 58 victims, we will not let them keep taking from us every time they are out from prison," said Mangudadatu, who called the furlough a "big insult" to their clan.

While the power of the court to grant furlough on its own terms was acknowledged, the Mangudadatu family appealed for a more careful evaluation of further requests of the nature especially as prisoners with less means than Ampatuan continually have their requests denied.

"Bakit na-grant yung furlough ni Zaldy Ampatuan without informing us, the relatives of the victims?" Mangudadatu questioned. "The reason is humanitarian. Eh, sana po inisip po natin yung nangyari sa pamilya namin."

He later added, "Ang isang iniiwasan rin natin diyan is yung grave abuse of discretion, tsaka sana pagbigyan din yung ating mahihirap nating kababayan na nasa presuhan na ma-grant din yung mgafurlough na kinukuha nila. Kumbaga, 'di lang selective.

Mangudadatu said his family "believe(s) in the justice system of our country," and hoped the court would be more diligent in the future.

"Naniniwala po tayo diyan, kaya pinapaubaya natin sa batas," he said. "Sana ang gagawin ng ating korte, ino-notify kami na mga relatives ng mga biktima and ng private prosecutor before nila gagawin na iga-grant nila yung motion for furlough ng certain accused."

Zajid is the brother of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, whose wife was killed along with 57 others on November 23, 2009 by armed men allegedly lead by Zaldy's brother Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Their sisters were also killed in what is considered the deadliest event for journalists in history and one of the worst incidences of election-related violence in the world.

Esmael was set to challenge the Ampatuans in the then-forthcoming gubernadorial race in the province.  —Rie Takumi/NB, GMA News