Today is Thursday, March 11th,2010 and it is now 555 AM here in Brooklyn, New York City.
Recently, in the CE and P Forum I iniated a thread entitled, "Election 2010, Philippines Style." The thread discussed, in detail, the so called "Maguindanao Massacre." This event, which took place Monday, November 23rd was the single worst case of violence against journalists,anywhere in all of history.
The event centers around the Gubernatorial Election taking place on May 10th, in the province of Maguindanao on Mindanao. If I was more adept I would simply cut and paste my thread's original post. As it is I can barely log on without a serious gaffe so that is one endeavour I would be better off leaving alone.
Interestingly, the thread did not garner a single response. Posters will flood threads about holograph airplanes manufactured by the US Government to trick people into a "War on Terrorism,'but a thread about this shocking case of mass murder did not rate a single comment.
Now, the event...
On the morning of Monday, 11/23/2009 Esmael "Toto" Mangadadatu, the Vice Mayor of his clan's ancestral village, Buluan, Maguindanao, stood outside his home and watched a 7 vehicle convoy of clan members, lawyers and journalists escort his wife to the provincial capital of Shariff Aguak.
His wife Genalyn was heading to the national electoral authority COMELEC's regional office to submit her husband's "Certificate of Candidacy" for the May 10th,2010 g
Gubneratorial Elections. Genalyn was sent because the tribal custom of the Maranao ethnicity prohibits the harming of females. The threat of violence hung heavy in the air because her husband was daring to challenge the Ampatuan clan, the family that had ruled much of the province since the 1890s.
The convoy of minivans headed to Shariff Aguak along the Cotabato-Isulan Hiway and at 10 AM they slowed as the approached a PNP (Police) Checkpoint in Sitio (Neighbourhood) Malating, Barangay (Village) Salman in Ampatuan (municipality), the clan stronghold of the Ampatuan clan. As they began decelerating for the Checkpoint 2 unrelated vehichles jockied for position and overtook the rear convoy vehicle, a minivan driven by clan ally Rajah Ali and carrying 2 other supporters.
Ali and his 2 passengers got out to urinate by the side of the road. As he went about his business Ali saw a group of approximately 100 paramilitary soldiers, all armed with M16s and AK47s emerging from the jungle on the roadside. Watching nervously he saw the mayor of Datu Unsay, Andal Ampatuan Jr walking directly to the van holding Genalyn Mangadadatu, open the door quickly and slap her hard. Backed by roughly 100 men holding hi-powered rifles nobody dared to make a sound much less resist. With just as much speed Andal stormed back into the bush.
Ali wasted no time as he and his 2 passengers jumped back in their van, turned around and sped off to the town of Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat Province. The 3 did not know that Genalyn had quickly sent a text to her husband apprising him of the unexpected development. Nor did the 3 men see Andal's soldiers commandeering the convoy.
The convoy was now driven into the bush, over an old logging track, 2 km off the hiway and up to a hill overlooking the Checkpoint. Authorities theorise that it eas here that 25 year old journalist Noel Delena sent a rapid text to his brother, begging him to pray for his soul.
Sometime between 1030 and 12, at least 56 people were shot to death at close range by M16s. 1, a journalist, was hogtied to a steering wheel in one of the vans and shot in the back of the head with a 12 gauge shotgun. 6 others remain missing until now, their fate is unknown though it is presumed that they too were killed that day.
By 11 AM Esmael Mangdadatu's attorneys had finally convinced a reluctant AFP (Philippine Military) to launch a search for the missing convoy.
At 230 PM the AFP carefull approached the grisly scene only to find that the perpsertrators had just fled, leaving a still idling backhoe owned by the provincial governor, Andal's father, Andal Ampatuan Sr. 3 large pits had been dug with bodies and vehichles staggered in alternate layers to impede any future investigation. Not suprisingly though not one actor was found.
31 journalisrs were murdered that day in what was the worst single case of violence against journalists in recorded history. Of the 21 females, 5 had recent deposits of seemen and most had had their genitals mutilated.
Mindanao is an island wracked by daily violence but this particular act shocked people beyond description.
That afternoon the AFP was able to detain 2 paramilitary soldiers with weapons but by law they were forced to treat it as a civilian criminal case and turned the 2 men over to the PNP. The police of course are controlled by the Ampatuan clan who quickly arrange for the 2 mens' release. Neither they nor their firearms have been seen since. Popular opinion holds that both men are dead.
On Thursday, 11/26 Presidential Advisor Jesus Dureza prevails upon the Ampatuan clan, staunch allies of the currrent President, to surrender Andal Jr. Andal Jr. Is then escorted unrestrained to the capital Shariff Aguak, and then transported south to the city of General Santos where an AFP C-130 transports him to Manila, almost 1000 km to the north. By Saturday the 28th he is slapped with multiple murder charges.
On 12/03 the first of 12 raids commence against the Ampatuan clan, primarily aimed at the clan's paramilitary.
On 12/05 President Gloria M. Arroyo declares Martial Law in Maguindanao and 2 adjoining provinces thus extending the Law from the southern most point of the nation, in the Sulu archipelago and Tawi Tawi just north of Borneo, up to Basilan and over onto Mindanao itself.
Since then Martial Law has been extended indefinitely, a brigade worth of advanced weaponry has been recovered, and the clan has been forced into submision. Nearly 700 men have been charged in the case, though virtually all paramilitary soldiers have fled into the bush where they continue to engage the AFP in skirmishes.
Not suprisingly the public, and by extension the government has sought a scapegoat. The "villian?" The paramilitary of course...never the govt! I will continue in a subsequent post.
Recently, in the CE and P Forum I iniated a thread entitled, "Election 2010, Philippines Style." The thread discussed, in detail, the so called "Maguindanao Massacre." This event, which took place Monday, November 23rd was the single worst case of violence against journalists,anywhere in all of history.
The event centers around the Gubernatorial Election taking place on May 10th, in the province of Maguindanao on Mindanao. If I was more adept I would simply cut and paste my thread's original post. As it is I can barely log on without a serious gaffe so that is one endeavour I would be better off leaving alone.
Interestingly, the thread did not garner a single response. Posters will flood threads about holograph airplanes manufactured by the US Government to trick people into a "War on Terrorism,'but a thread about this shocking case of mass murder did not rate a single comment.
Now, the event...
On the morning of Monday, 11/23/2009 Esmael "Toto" Mangadadatu, the Vice Mayor of his clan's ancestral village, Buluan, Maguindanao, stood outside his home and watched a 7 vehicle convoy of clan members, lawyers and journalists escort his wife to the provincial capital of Shariff Aguak.
His wife Genalyn was heading to the national electoral authority COMELEC's regional office to submit her husband's "Certificate of Candidacy" for the May 10th,2010 g
Gubneratorial Elections. Genalyn was sent because the tribal custom of the Maranao ethnicity prohibits the harming of females. The threat of violence hung heavy in the air because her husband was daring to challenge the Ampatuan clan, the family that had ruled much of the province since the 1890s.
The convoy of minivans headed to Shariff Aguak along the Cotabato-Isulan Hiway and at 10 AM they slowed as the approached a PNP (Police) Checkpoint in Sitio (Neighbourhood) Malating, Barangay (Village) Salman in Ampatuan (municipality), the clan stronghold of the Ampatuan clan. As they began decelerating for the Checkpoint 2 unrelated vehichles jockied for position and overtook the rear convoy vehicle, a minivan driven by clan ally Rajah Ali and carrying 2 other supporters.
Ali and his 2 passengers got out to urinate by the side of the road. As he went about his business Ali saw a group of approximately 100 paramilitary soldiers, all armed with M16s and AK47s emerging from the jungle on the roadside. Watching nervously he saw the mayor of Datu Unsay, Andal Ampatuan Jr walking directly to the van holding Genalyn Mangadadatu, open the door quickly and slap her hard. Backed by roughly 100 men holding hi-powered rifles nobody dared to make a sound much less resist. With just as much speed Andal stormed back into the bush.
Ali wasted no time as he and his 2 passengers jumped back in their van, turned around and sped off to the town of Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat Province. The 3 did not know that Genalyn had quickly sent a text to her husband apprising him of the unexpected development. Nor did the 3 men see Andal's soldiers commandeering the convoy.
The convoy was now driven into the bush, over an old logging track, 2 km off the hiway and up to a hill overlooking the Checkpoint. Authorities theorise that it eas here that 25 year old journalist Noel Delena sent a rapid text to his brother, begging him to pray for his soul.
Sometime between 1030 and 12, at least 56 people were shot to death at close range by M16s. 1, a journalist, was hogtied to a steering wheel in one of the vans and shot in the back of the head with a 12 gauge shotgun. 6 others remain missing until now, their fate is unknown though it is presumed that they too were killed that day.
By 11 AM Esmael Mangdadatu's attorneys had finally convinced a reluctant AFP (Philippine Military) to launch a search for the missing convoy.
At 230 PM the AFP carefull approached the grisly scene only to find that the perpsertrators had just fled, leaving a still idling backhoe owned by the provincial governor, Andal's father, Andal Ampatuan Sr. 3 large pits had been dug with bodies and vehichles staggered in alternate layers to impede any future investigation. Not suprisingly though not one actor was found.
31 journalisrs were murdered that day in what was the worst single case of violence against journalists in recorded history. Of the 21 females, 5 had recent deposits of seemen and most had had their genitals mutilated.
Mindanao is an island wracked by daily violence but this particular act shocked people beyond description.
That afternoon the AFP was able to detain 2 paramilitary soldiers with weapons but by law they were forced to treat it as a civilian criminal case and turned the 2 men over to the PNP. The police of course are controlled by the Ampatuan clan who quickly arrange for the 2 mens' release. Neither they nor their firearms have been seen since. Popular opinion holds that both men are dead.
On Thursday, 11/26 Presidential Advisor Jesus Dureza prevails upon the Ampatuan clan, staunch allies of the currrent President, to surrender Andal Jr. Andal Jr. Is then escorted unrestrained to the capital Shariff Aguak, and then transported south to the city of General Santos where an AFP C-130 transports him to Manila, almost 1000 km to the north. By Saturday the 28th he is slapped with multiple murder charges.
On 12/03 the first of 12 raids commence against the Ampatuan clan, primarily aimed at the clan's paramilitary.
On 12/05 President Gloria M. Arroyo declares Martial Law in Maguindanao and 2 adjoining provinces thus extending the Law from the southern most point of the nation, in the Sulu archipelago and Tawi Tawi just north of Borneo, up to Basilan and over onto Mindanao itself.
Since then Martial Law has been extended indefinitely, a brigade worth of advanced weaponry has been recovered, and the clan has been forced into submision. Nearly 700 men have been charged in the case, though virtually all paramilitary soldiers have fled into the bush where they continue to engage the AFP in skirmishes.
Not suprisingly the public, and by extension the government has sought a scapegoat. The "villian?" The paramilitary of course...never the govt! I will continue in a subsequent post.