Mangudadatu clan to file looting raps

GENERAL SANTOS CITY , Philippines  — The Mangudadatu family plans to file charges against some soldiers who were allegedly caught on video looting massacre victim Bai Genalin Mangudadatu, wife of Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu of Buluan, Maguindanao.

Vice Mayor Mangudadatu told The STAR that his family have in their possession the video footage that would link some military intelligence officers who took Genalin’s cash worth almost half a million pesos.

“We have now the video footage at kitang-kita habang nakahandusay ang kaawa-awang walang buhay na katawan ng aking mahal na misis ay ninanakawan ng ilang military intelligence men na unang dumating sa massacre area,” Toto said. (It was clearly seen that while my beloved wife’s lifeless body lay on the ground the soldiers first at the crime scene looted her belongings).

Mangudadatu said that aside from the cash money, those men also took his wife’s Rolex watch worth P500,000, jewelry, checks and five bank passbooks.

“Personal na regalo ko ‘yung Rolex watch sa misis ko dahil first time niya lang daw magkakaroon ng ganyang relo and aside from that bago siya umalis may dala siyang almost half a million na pera, mga tseke na napirmahan ko na, lahat ‘yun ninakaw sa kaniya at nakuhanan ‘yun ng video,” he added. (The watch was my gift to her and it was the first time she had a watch like that, and before she left she had money and checks which were all taken as shown by the video).

Mangudadatu’s wife was among the 57 massacre victims, that included 30 mediamen, that were killed by alleged members of the Ampatuan clan and their supporters last Nov. 23 in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. – Rose Tamayo-Tesoro