MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has assured that security is in place for Tuesday’s commemoration of the first year of the Maguindano massacre.

Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac conducted an 11th-hour inspection of the massacre site in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town of this province. 

“Three hundred sixty degrees ang security namin dito sa area at lahat ng available na battalion ng Army, nag-coordinate na kami para masigurong safe itong lugar,” said Pintac as he walked through the freshly moved dirt where the event will be held Tuesday.

Workers are rushing to finish the construction of the structure that will provide shelter to participants. 

A few days ago, Gov. Esmael “Toto” Magudadatu said the shelter will also serve as a view deck for victims’ families and visitors who may want to come and take a look at the place where the gruesome killing happened last November 23, 2009.

A concrete marker that will bear the names of the victims was already delivered to the site. 

It is a pre-fabricated concrete with the victims’ names carved on it. 

Unfortunately, there are some inconsistencies on the spelling of the names and the number of victims. 

Pintac counted the names listed and saw only 55 people listed, including 4 unidentified students from Tacurong and Reynaldo Momay of Tacurong-based weekly paper “Midland Review.” 

Mangudadatu’s greater concern, however, is the security of the participants in the commemoration rites. 

He is confident about the security preparation laid by the PNP and the Philipine Army, but at the same time concerned that some people in their province might try to sabotage the activity.

The explosion in Shariff Aguak on Sunday, wherein 2 people were wounded, is viewed by Mangudadatu as part of an attempt to sabotage the event. 

“May mga tao talagang gustong isabotahe yung commemoration bukas,” he said in an interview during an activity Monday morning for the celebration of Maguindanao’s 37th Foundation Year, which, coincidentally, falls on the same date of the massacre, November 23.

Aside from victims’ families, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is expected to join Tuesday’s activity with Margarita Cojuangco, president of Philippine Public Safety College, who arrived on Monday afternoon.