On November 23rd, 2009 the worst single case of violence against journalists took place here. That morning a 7 vehicle convoy left the municipality of Buluan bound for the provincial capital of Maguindanao Province, the town of Shariff Aguak. The convoy, consisting of 32 journalists, 2 female attorneys, and female members of the Mangudadatu Clan hoped to deliver the Certificate of Candidacy for the Vice Mayor of Buluan, Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu who was then attempting to run for provincial governor. The province was under the control of the Ampatuan Clan who didn't appreciate an upstart running for office without the Ampatuan Clan Chief, or Datu's, approval. The Clan Chief, Datu Andal Salibo Ampatuan Sr intended to have one of his dozens of children, in this case Andal Jr, run and of course win since victory is assured.
Andal Sr, then the Governor but at his 9 year term limit, had the police set a checkpoint up in the municipality of Ampatuan (the town being named for the clan), one town before the capital. Backing 60 odd policemen were the clan's paramilitary, for a total of 300 odd gunmen. Just before the convoy arrived at the checkpoint two vehicles cut into it, passing the rear vehicle and thus found themselves in the worst possible place.
Pulling up to the checkpoint they were forced to stop. The clan paramilitary was sent away and the passengers probably thought they were in a tense, but managable situation. Then Andal Jr, the would be hand picked candidate, began looking into every vehicle carefullt. Finding the would be competing candidate's wife, Genalynn Tiamzon Mangudadatu, he proceeded to beat the shit out of her as 60 police trained their M16s, M14s, and M4s on the convoy, daring anybody to even shout. A handfull of paramilitary soldiers had remained at the checkpoint. Andal Jr instructed the paras to get into the convoy's vehicles and drive them up into the hills above town to a pre-arranged site.
As the convoy made its slow, torturous ascent one of the journalists, a 24 year old man, sent a text message to his brother telling him the convoy was in deep trouble and asking him to pray for his soul because he knew they were about to be killed. At a hilltop overlooking that police checkpoint the clan paramilitary began raping all the females as some of the men began praying on their knees and begging for mercy to the paras. A beltfed M16 was set up in the bed of a pickup truck and groups of males were made to stand in front of three pits that were still being dug by government machinery. It only took seconds to kill almost all the men. The women were killed with bullets in the brain after being gang raped. Two male reporters who had criticised the Ampatuan Clan in recent articles were spared initially. One, Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay has never been found, except for his dentures. The second was hogtied on the rear seat of an SUV and made to perform fellation on a 12 gauge shotgun which then had its trigger pulled. He was then carried by the rope that hogtied him and tossed into the pits.
The men began pushing in the vehichles as well so that they would disappear but word came over a two way radio that military units not allied with the clan had entered the town and seemed to be searching for something. Everyone on site, including the heavy machine operators,eft immediately. When the unit ascended the hill, having been told that a convoy had disappeared, they found the three pits, some of the vehicles still on the edges, and the machinery still running as if the culprits had just fled.
On the second anniversary only 95 of 190 men charged have been arrested abd only 60 have been arraigned. Though Toto Mangudadatu ended up winning the election, his own clan paramilitary has murdered dozens (at least) since he came to office. Indeed, he himself has three open murder cases. The trial began streamlining live this month but only 200 people worldwide cared enough to watch. Aside from myself I reckon most viewers to be journalists. Noone cares. Sadly, nothing has changed here.
Andal Sr, then the Governor but at his 9 year term limit, had the police set a checkpoint up in the municipality of Ampatuan (the town being named for the clan), one town before the capital. Backing 60 odd policemen were the clan's paramilitary, for a total of 300 odd gunmen. Just before the convoy arrived at the checkpoint two vehicles cut into it, passing the rear vehicle and thus found themselves in the worst possible place.
Pulling up to the checkpoint they were forced to stop. The clan paramilitary was sent away and the passengers probably thought they were in a tense, but managable situation. Then Andal Jr, the would be hand picked candidate, began looking into every vehicle carefullt. Finding the would be competing candidate's wife, Genalynn Tiamzon Mangudadatu, he proceeded to beat the shit out of her as 60 police trained their M16s, M14s, and M4s on the convoy, daring anybody to even shout. A handfull of paramilitary soldiers had remained at the checkpoint. Andal Jr instructed the paras to get into the convoy's vehicles and drive them up into the hills above town to a pre-arranged site.
As the convoy made its slow, torturous ascent one of the journalists, a 24 year old man, sent a text message to his brother telling him the convoy was in deep trouble and asking him to pray for his soul because he knew they were about to be killed. At a hilltop overlooking that police checkpoint the clan paramilitary began raping all the females as some of the men began praying on their knees and begging for mercy to the paras. A beltfed M16 was set up in the bed of a pickup truck and groups of males were made to stand in front of three pits that were still being dug by government machinery. It only took seconds to kill almost all the men. The women were killed with bullets in the brain after being gang raped. Two male reporters who had criticised the Ampatuan Clan in recent articles were spared initially. One, Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay has never been found, except for his dentures. The second was hogtied on the rear seat of an SUV and made to perform fellation on a 12 gauge shotgun which then had its trigger pulled. He was then carried by the rope that hogtied him and tossed into the pits.
The men began pushing in the vehichles as well so that they would disappear but word came over a two way radio that military units not allied with the clan had entered the town and seemed to be searching for something. Everyone on site, including the heavy machine operators,eft immediately. When the unit ascended the hill, having been told that a convoy had disappeared, they found the three pits, some of the vehicles still on the edges, and the machinery still running as if the culprits had just fled.
On the second anniversary only 95 of 190 men charged have been arrested abd only 60 have been arraigned. Though Toto Mangudadatu ended up winning the election, his own clan paramilitary has murdered dozens (at least) since he came to office. Indeed, he himself has three open murder cases. The trial began streamlining live this month but only 200 people worldwide cared enough to watch. Aside from myself I reckon most viewers to be journalists. Noone cares. Sadly, nothing has changed here.