Rebellion case vs Ampatuan Sr. dismissed
MANILA, Philippines (Update 1) - A court in the Philippines has dismissed rebellion charges against a powerful Muslim clan accused of being behind an election-linked massacre of 57 people, the justice secretary said Monday.
Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Vivencio Baclig cited lack of probable cause in dismissing the case.
The court has also issued a release order, but Ampatuan Sr. and 6 other members of the Ampatuan clan will remain under state custody as they still face multiple murder charges in connection with the Maguindanao massacre last year where 57 people, including media men, lawyers, and members of their rival political clan, the Mangudadatus, were killed.
"It is the position of the Department of Justice that the accused remain in detention since probable cause was found in the murder charges filed against them," Justice Secretary Alberto Agra told radio dzMM.
Agra said the government intended to appeal the lower court ruling or even bring it to the Court of Appeals.
The Ampatuans are accused of orchestrating the killing of 57 people in the strife-torn southern province of Maguindanao in November last year to stop a rival politician from running against a clan member in national elections.
The patriarch of the clan, Andal Ampatuan Snr, was then the governor of Maguindanao. He was grooming a son and namesake to succeed him in the elections to be held in May this year.
The wife and a pregnant sister of the rival politician, along with 32 journalists travelling with the relatives to register his candidacy for Maguindanao governor, were among the victims.
Ampatuan Snr and four of his other sons were among 24 people charged with rebellion in December for allegedly trying to rise up against the government.
President Gloria Arroyo imposed martial law for nine days after the massacre, saying the move was necessary because the Ampatuans had tried to use their own private army of 3,000 militiamen in the alleged rebellion. With Agence France-Presse
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THESE MONEY GRUBBING MOTHER F****RS
You Fat Disgusting PIGS! stop eating muds given to you by those people that's just feeding you to kill you later on...
One day your own people will turn their back to you, all pissed off and will end your DISGUSTING LIFE!
How much did the ampatuan's fed you? You SELFISH BOARS!
Gloria cited rebellion for
Gloria cited rebellion for declaring martial law in Maguindano, now they are backtracking and saying that there was no rebellion. I guess all the guns are ammunitions recovered were to be used for target practice only. Do they really think that we are this tupid? The justice system in this country is just as corrupt as the politicians. Is there any hope for this country?
utang na loob
yeah you're right she owe them a lot. how can she let them down?.. What a hell! the negative part of "utang na loob" let just say "utang" because i don't see that all of them have "LOOB". This what they call justice? Even if i don't go to college for taking law i know what is justice. Here i don't see justice.
Gloria Arroyo will not forsake the Ampatuans, she owe them a lot
lets go easy with the judge, it was the Justice department, lead by Devanedera, who bungled the case.... first of all, why rebellion?? it was a recipe to let the Ampatuans go scot-free. the Ampatuans have never declared a rebellion against Gloria's government, so it's only fair & square that the judge made a decision to junk the rebellion case.
the maguindanao massacre victims will never get justice until Gloria is in power.... & she's doing everything, legal, unethical, immoral & illegal to cling into power!
wow ang galing ng mga
wow ang galing ng mga ampatuans, hindi nyo ba alam pag naka laya ang mga ampatuan hindi yon lng ang magiging magyari mas lalo pang iinit ang laban jan, at dadami ang patayan sa maguindanao. kaya bahala na kayo judge kung kayo ay pinanganak na may puso at isapan maisip nyo sana ang magiging mangayayari sa susunod na mga araw.
Why I am not surprised?????
The whole thing was just a scam from day one, GMA had a nice long talk with the murderous ampatuans and told them to take a nice rest in a comfy jail cell for a few months and then they will be set free again.
She could NEVER just drop them, if they would start telling the world about what they have all done for “” HER “” she would be in De Hague for crimes against humanity.
Is just a shame for the poor victims, they will never see justice done.
Katangahan
Sigurado talagang madedismiss yon kasi mali nga ang kasong sinampa. Hindi naman ang gobiyerno ang kinalaban ng mga killer Ampatuan, kundi yong kalaban nila sa aat mga walang laban na ordinaryong mamamayan.
Pumatay sila ng mga taong inosente. Hindi sila nag-alsa laban sa gobierno. Ito namang tangang DOJ kung bakit rebellion ang isinampang kaso.
Ngayon tuloy sa halip na makatulong mabigyang hustisya ang mga biktima, may posibilidad pang makalaya ang mga killer.
Mga TANGA DOJ, para kayong isang doktor na merong lumapit na pasyente dahil natuklaw ang ahas, sa halip na anti-venum yong einjection, binigyan nya ang pasyente ng gamot laban sa titanus. hahahahaha. Kaya ayon, yong ahas buhay, gumagapang uli sa damuhan yong pasyente naghihingalo na.
DOj pwede gamitin nyo naman ng kunti ang utak niyo, yong utak ng marunong na tao, hindi utak ng Ostrich.
Where is Justice?
I knew it all along that this case will become a travesty of justice. Now,it's beginning to unravel right before our very eyes.There's no doubt that the Ampatuans, will walk away, as if nothing happened.In the Philippines, the law of the land does not apply to the rich and politically connected. That's just the way it is. Regardless of who will come into power this coming elections, nothing will change. It will be the same corrupt and greedy administration, regardless of who is running the country. It's a vicious cycle of violence, poverty and corruption. My heart bleeds for my beloved Philippines and all the Filipinos who have endured oppression and injustice. God help us.
the decision is beyond the
the decision is beyond the judge, the outcome has long been decided, the script has been written and rehearsed a thousand times in a place could malAcanang palace and the writer and directors are now running for congress in pampangga, batangas and quezon province.
rebellion charges was part of the grand scheme by arroyo
rebellion charges was part of the grand scheme to let the ampatuan get off the hook.
first of all there was no rebellion, in-fact they remain a very very staunch supporter of arroyo!!! no judge in his right mind can convict ampatuan with rebellion fairly and squarely!!!!
the rebellion charges was the weak link in the governments cases filed by the government against ampatuans. it was meant to be key to the freedom of the ampatuans.
once the court dismisses the rebellion charges, the ampatuan camp can attack this setback of the government on the grounds that no man can be tried twice on the same offense.
if we would recall, even the declaration of martial law was part of the scheme given to the ampatuans to muddle the gathering of evidence. it was very clear and heavily documented that the gathering of evidence was done with violations and this can be exploited by the ampatuam camp!!!!
don't believe that arroyo will go after ampatuans, she did not even go against garci who has no means to fight back!!!!! this is what we have created in the administration and we have the chance this coming may 2010 to change our corrupt, thieves, arrogant leaders...
bomoto ng tapat, bomoto ng tama!!!!