On the morning of November 23, 2009, a convoy of journalists, lawyers, and relatives of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu were on their way to the provincial capitol of Maguindanao to file Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor in the upcoming national elections. Before they could reach their destination, the group was stopped by armed men and taken to the town of Ampatuan; once there, they were summarily shot and dumped into already-prepared graves
Four years have now passed, but the families of the victims have yet to receive justice.
Here is an overview of the Ampatuan massacre by the numbers:
58
Total number of those killed.
32
were journalists, prompting the international press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists to call the Ampatuan massacre “one of the deadliest single events for the press in memory.” Our very own Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility also called it the “bloodiest single incident in the history of Philippine media.”
6
were simply passing motorists, who were mistaken to be part of the convoy.
197
197 were charged with conspiring and participating in the massacre.
101
have been arrested.
6
of these carry the surname Ampatuan.
90
still remain at large (most of them carrying the surname Ampatuan as well).
197
have been convicted since the hearings began in January 5, 2010.
For more information, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility has a special section in its website that provides on the ongoing trial. Visit http://www.cmfr-phil.org/ampatuanwatch/
