Inclusion of Ampatuans in LP slate under study

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has instructed three members of his Cabinet who are also holding key positions in the ruling Liberal Party (LP) to assess the inclusion of some members of the Ampatuan clan in the party line-up in the May 2013 midterm elections.

“The President has tasked (Transportation) Secretary Jun Abaya, (Interior) Secretary Mar Roxas, and myself to look at this situation and see whether, in fact, those designations should be upheld,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told reporters yesterday.

Abad made the statement when asked if it was true that nine Ampatuans are running under Aquino’s party in next year’s local polls.        

Former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan and ex-Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan have been tagged as primary suspects in the brutal massacre of 58 people, mostly journalists, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao in 2009.

Abad explained that it has always been the LP’s policy to recognize that their local leaders are “in the best position to know the situation on the local level.”

“That is the policy not just for 2013. That has been the policy that we have been adopting all through these years,” he said.

“We gave Gov. Toto Mangudadatu the prerogative of choosing his candidates on the ground,” Abad said.

When pressed on why recruit Ampatuans, Mangudadatu’s answer was: “Well, not all Ampatuans are like the Ampatuans who are being tried for the massacre of journalists and other people of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.”

Initially, Abad said they would meet the prospective Ampatuan candidates in the local level before making a recommendation to the President.

“Then secondly, to understand why of all people Gov. Mangudadatu would choose candidates from the Ampatuan family. And, third, whether in fact that reason is something that is consistent with our party principles,” he said.

The LP will finish its assessment of the Ampatuan bets before Dec. 21, which is the deadline for the filing of substitute candidates before the Commission on Elections.

Abad refused to make any comment on Mangudadatu’s real motive in recruiting the Ampatuans. 

“I’m not in a position to pry into his (Mangudadatu) motivation. But we all can see the fact that he is a victim himself. So I think human nature dictates that, why would he do something that has brought such tragedy to himself and to his family?” he asked.

“So, we presume that he is doing this with due consideration of the memory of his wife and his loved ones,” Abad stressed.