AMPATUAN TRIAL WATCH

The Regional Trial Court of Quezon City has denied Andal Ampatuan Sr.’s petition for bail after it established the participation of the clan patriarch in the 23 November 2009 massacre of 58 persons, including 32 journalists and media workers.

The journalists were covering the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy of Ampatuan clan rival Esmael Mangudadatu for governor of Maguindanao province.

In a 21 April 2015 joint order, the court denied the bail petition after finding that there was strong evidence of guilt against Andal Sr. The court explained that Andal Sr. “himself called and presided over three meetings that had the agenda of killing persons to prevent Esmael Mangudadatu from pursuing his political plans.”

The court added that the participation of Andal Sr. could be established “through the numerous phone and radio calls that appeared to monitor the execution of the victims at Sitio Masalay (on 23 November 2009).” There were also “untoward acts” Andal Sr. committed after the massacre.

Prior to the denial of Ampatuan Sr.’s petition, three other bail petitions were denied by the court–those filed by Akmad Tato Ampatuan, Anwar Ampatuna Sr. and Police Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay. But the court also granted 42 bail petitions, including that of Andal Sr. son Zaldy Ampatuan.