Zaldy Ampatuan’s petition denied with finality

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – The Supreme Court of the Philippines denied “with finality” the motion for reconsideration filed by one of the primary accused in the Ampatuan (Maguindanao) Massacre. The Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) received a notice from the Supreme Court last 4 October 2012.

The Third Division of the Supreme Court in its 15 August 2012 resolution denied former ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan’s motion seeking to overturn the 25 June 2012 denial of his petition for review on certiorari.

“No substantial arguments were raised to warrant its reconsideration,” read the 15 August 2012 resolution.

The court in its 25 June 2012 resolution said Zaldy Ampatuan “failed to show that the Court of Appeals committed any reversible error in affirming the May 5, 2010 resolution of the Department of Justice….”(Read more here: http://www.old.cmfr-phil.org/ampatuanwatch/2012/07/supreme-court-upheld-zaldys-indictment/)

The petition for review on certiorari filed in early 2012 asked the Supreme Court to reverse the Court of Appeals in Manila’s decision to junk his petition for certiorari and prohibition seeking to annul his indictment in the 57 counts of murder pending before Branch 221 of the RTC Quezon City.

Zaldy is among the 196 accused charged for the killing of 58 persons including 32 journalists and media workers who were on their way to Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao to file the certificate of candidacy of former Buluan Vice-mayor and now Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu. (The 58th murder charge–for the murder of missing Massacre victim, Midland Review’s Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay–was filed in court last 24 September 2012.) As of this writing, only two members of the powerful Ampatuan clan—Andal Sr. and Andal “Unsay” Jr.—had been arraigned in connection with the Massacre.