Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo and Maguindanao Gov. Ismael “Toto” Mangudadatu will visit the massacre site at Ampatuan town today (November 23) to commemorate the second year of the so-called “Maguindanao Massacre” where 58 people, including 33 journalists were mercilessly killed allegedly on orders of the Ampatuan clan led by former Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Andal Jr.

 

The DILG chief said he will be in the area on invitation of Mangudadatu, the former Buluan town vice-mayor who lost his wife, several female relatives and two female lawyers while on their way in a vehicle convoy to file his certificate of candidacy as Maguindanao governor on November 23, 2009. The elections were held on May 11, 2010 and Mangudadatu won as Maguindanao governor.

During the massacre site visit, Mangudadatu will lead the commemoration with the lighting of candles and offering of prayers for his fallen relatives and the slain journalists.

Robredo said he intends to meet with the journalists and Ampatuan massacre victims’ families, including members of the various local and media organizations and give them updates about the case and the government’s plan to help in the early prosecution of the suspects.

“Right now, at least 100 still at-large suspects are roaming various parts of Mindanao and we are doing our best to have them accounted for and pay for their crimes. I have directed all local executives in Mindanao to help us find them and include them in the government’s “all-out justice” campaign in the region,” he said.

“Like everybody else, particularly the families of the slain journalists and Gov. Mangudadatu, I am also disappointed with the slow pace of the proceedings of the case. But I want to assure them we’re still hunting down the still at-large suspects and that this kind of incident won’t happen again in the future,” he added.