Ampatuan massacre victim’s kin: It’ll be a slap in the face of justice system if we don’t win this
MANILA, Philippines — Relatives of the 58 individuals who were slain a decade ago in the country’s worst political massacre are expecting no less than a conviction.
The victims’ kin began arriving at Quezon City Jail Annex—where the verdict on the 2009 Ampatuan masacre is set to be announced—at 7 a.m. They were accompanied by lawyer Harry Roque.
Noemi Parcon, whose husband Joel was slain in the gruesome massacre, said the victims’ relatives are expecting for a positive resolution of the case.
Joel was a freelance journalist and among the 32 media workers who were killed.
“It will be a slap in the face of the justice system in the Philippines if we don’t win this case,” Parcon said.
She added: “What we are really expecting ay yung mga principal accused ay convicted because those who died in the incident will have peace in heaven if justice is served.”
“It will be a slap on tha face of the country’s justice system if we do not win in this case,” Noemi Parcon says. She is the wife of slain freelance journalist Joel Parcon. #MaguindanaoMassacreVerdict @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/6XlCr1SSqL
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Jean Malabanan said it has not been easy since her mother Mindanao Focus reporter Gina Dela Cruz was slain.
The victims were on their way to the Commission on Elections office in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao to witness the filing of certificate of candidacy of then-gubernatorial candidate Esmael Mangudadatu were killed in broad daylight and dumped into roadside pits.
Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 will hand down the decision on the massacre.
Of the original 197 suspects, 101 individuals, including member of the powerful Ampatuan family, stand accused. Eighty people, meanwhile, have evaded arrest.
Zaldy Ampatuan and his brothers Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Sajid Ampatuan are the principal accused in the November 23, 2009 massacre.
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