(UPDATE 2) Maguindanao massacre death toll reaches 52

Posted at 11/25/2009 12:25 PM | Updated as of 11/25/2009 2:41 PM

MANILA - Six bodies have been unearthed from the "killing fields" in Ampatuan, Maguindanao province on Wednesday, bringing the death toll of the bloodiest election-related incident to 52.

A report by ABS-CBN Cotabato said four bodies -- three men and a woman -- were initially retrieved from a UNTV van and a red Toyota Vios with an official seal of the Tacurong City local government.

The two vehicles were part of a six-vehicle convoy of the Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu, who was supposed to file a certificate of candidate for governor on behalf of her husband, Buluan Vice-Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu.

At past noon, two more bodies were also recovered from the site. Retrieval teams were also trying to dig out a blue Toyota Tamaraw FX, which was initially reported as being driven by a son of a local official in Maguindanao.

Media people were also part of the convoy, including the UNTV van. They were supposed to cover the filing of the COC in Sharif Aguak town.

Police said a group of at least 100 gunmen ambushed the convoy and ordered members of the Mangudadatu family and the media men out of their vehicles before shooting them all dead. There were indications that the women were raped.

An initial list of media people included in the convoy, as gathered by ABS-CBN, showed 4 members of a UNTV network crew. They were identified as Joy Duhay, Victor Nuñez, Macmac Ariola and Jimmy Cabillo.

The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines said a total of 12 journalists have been recovered from the burial site as of Monday night. The NUJP said they expect the number to increase to 20.

ANC's executive producer Patricia Evangelista, who was at the retrieval site, reported that authorities were expecting the death toll to increase to more than 60.

Evangelista said there were reports that people on board vehicles that were not part of the Mangudadatus' convoy were also stopped and shot dead.

The military said the main suspects in the abductions and murders were gunmen hired by the Maguindanao governor, Andal Ampatuan, and his son who has the same name.

Relatives of the victims and witnesses have said the powerful political clan wanted to stop Mangudadatu from challenging Ampatuan junior for the post of governor in next year's national elections.

Three policemen believed loyal to the Ampatuans have been detained for their alleged involvement in the murders.

Following the massacre, President Gloria Arroyo imposed emergency rule on Maguindanao, neighboring Cotabato City and nearby Sultan Kudarat province. -- Reports from Lerio Bompat, ABS-CBN Cotabato, Patricia Evangelista, ANC executive producer and Agence France-Presse


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4 comments

takot ba ang pnp at afp sa mga ampatuan's???????

ano ba ginawa ang pnp at afp sa pangyayari eto?
natatakot ba sila??????
bakit pag ordinaryong criminal o suspect palang huli agad at may kasama pang pulis brutality??????
asan na kayon papoging heneral ng pnp at afp???????
ano ang mangyayari sa bansa natin pag di na bigyan ng HUSTISYA ang mga biktima????
tayo ba ay patungo sa pagiging SOMALIA 2????

GISINNG MGA HENERAL


Axis of Evil

Isa ang mga Ampatuan's sa mga axis of evils sa Mindanao ang ulo ng evil ay nasa Malakanyang at madalas pumunta ng Lubao, Pampanga. Siret na ba kung sino?

Andoy

JUSTICE, POWER and LOYALTY:

This is a big challenge to our Law enforcer on how justice will prevail especially the suspect is a big fish: this is a question of loyalty beyond justice behind power: A big challenge to the Arroyo administration on whose behind is their political allies and contributed them more on how they became into political power: this is now a time to proved the equal distribution of justice system behind loyalty: If Mrs. Arroyo is serious then just do it because I think these guys are more comfortable of doing so because hawak nila sa leeg si Mrs. Arroyo: can you imagine the past Elections of these provinces that there is three towns that Arroyos political rival is taken only a zero votes and while the 12-0 senate candidates favor to admin?.Wow! parang pelikula noh parang himala pero sa Mindanao lalo nsa ARMM Region ay walang himala kundi ang lahat ay totoo: TOTOONG KASINUNGALINGAN, TOTOONG PANGLILINLANG AT PANDARAYA: KILALA NIYO MAN CGURO SI MR. GARCILLANO SIYA AY TAGA MINDANAO PAREHO KAMI NG LUGAR AT KILALA KO XA AT ALAM NYO BAH KUNG GAANO KASARAP ANG BUHAY NIYA NGAYON? AY NAKU PO MAGUGULAT KAYO: EH HAWAK LANG NAMAN NIYA ANG MALAKING COCKPIT ARENA SA ISANG LUGAR SA BUKIDNON! NAKU DAIG MO PA ANG ISANG BILYONARYONG NAGTATAPON NG PERA! ANG LAKI CGURO NG PENSYON NIYA BUWAN BUWAN MULA SA PAMAHALAANG ARROYO:: AY NAPAKASARAP NG BUHAY SA MGA TUTA NI ARROYO MATAPOS ANG DAYAAN: KAYA YANG MGA AMPATUAN NA YAN AY NAKINABANG SA MAGUINDANAO DAHIL YAN DIN ANG KAPALIT SA PAGKASIGURO SA PANALO NI ARROYO: KAYA UNG MAY NAG COMMENTS DITO NA HUWAG DAW ISISI SA ADMINISTRASYON EH BAKIT HINDI EH KUNG MARUNONG KA BANG MAG-ISIP ALA EH DAPAT MAG-ISIP KA KUNG PAANO NAGAWA TO NG MGA AMPATUAN AY WALA NA RIN PINAGKAIBA SA MGA UTOS NI GLORIA SA KANILA: KAYA HAWAK NILA ANG LEEG NI MRS. ARROYO OH NGAYON SINO ANG MAGKAROON NG LAKAS NA LOOB KAKALABAN SA KANILA ABER: KUNG HAWAK NI ARROYO ANG BUONG PILIPINAS AY HAWAK DIN NG MGA AMPATUAN ANG MILITARY COMMAND NG BUONG MAGUINDANAO: KAYA IYON IIKOT LANG YAN ANG EMBESTIGASYON: EH ANO BAH GINAWA NI MR. DUREZA DOON ANG MAGPA PICTURE SA MGA SUSPEK? EH BAKIT HINDI NILA HULIHIN AT E DETAINED YANG SI MAYOR AMPATUAN AT IMBESTIGAHAN PARA MAGSULPUTAN ANG MGA WITNESS AT PAGSASAMAHIN ANG LAHAT NA EBEDENSYA O DBA? ANONG DUE PROCESS BAH ANG GUSTO NILANG GAWIN ABER? EH MALIWANAG PA SA SIKAT NG ARAW KUNG SINO ANG SUSPEK DBA? ANG SABIHIN NILA TAKOT SI MADAM GLORIA ETUMBA ANG MGA AMPATUAN DAHIL AYAW NIYANG MA E BULGAR ANG MGA KABULASTUGAN NILA NUNG MGA NAKARAANG HALALAN: AY NAKU PO MADAM GLORIA, MR. GARCILLANO, BOLANTE, AT UNG IBA PA JAN NA GALAMAY NI GLORIA AT MGA AMPATUAN TATAMAAN SANA KAYO NG KIDLAT:,.......TANDAAN NIYO MAKALIGTAS MAN KAYO DITO SA BATAS NG LUPA HINDI KAYO MAKALIGTAS NG NASA ITAAS KAYA SANA NGAYON PALANG MAGPAKA TOTOO NA KAYO.....PEACE!

For it is Gods will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 1 PETER 2:15

disclaimer

hindi poh kasali s convoy ang toyota vios...
ngkataon n kasama cla s mga na hold s pg aakala n kasali cla s convoy.. on official travel ang mga sakay ng vios to cotabato city..
isa po s sakay ng vios ang aking kamag anak..
talag pong npakasakit isipin ang kanilang pgkamatay..
inosente cla..ngkaton lng na nkasabay nila ang convoy s daan..



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