FILE PHOTO: Sajid Ampatuan, one of the suspects at the Maguindanao massacre (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines – Fear for their security is now the main concern of the families of the victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre after Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes granted Sajid Ampatuan temporary liberty by posting an P11.6 million bail.
Atty. Harry Roque, one of the private prosecutors of the case, said they are appealing to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to do what is necessary to bring Sajid back behind bars.
“The family members are afraid that the Ampatuan’s will take revenge at them. We are angry and dismayed by the decision because it was proven that he was present when they were planning the killing,” he said.
Mrs. Catherine Nuñez, mother of UNTV’s senior correspondent Victor Nuñez who was slain in the mass murder said, misery struck her after hearing the news.
She broke down in tears because after almost 6 years of seeking justice for her son, the most unwanted thing happened; a suspect was allowed temporary freedom.
“Isn’t this enough evidence that he was around during the meeting? It means that the entire family agreed to the plan,” she said.
“His presence in the meeting is sufficient evidence that beforehand he has knowledge of it,” she added.
Nuñez appeals to the government not to forget that before the mamasapano incident happened, the famillies of the maguindanao massacre victims were also promised justice.
“They are now focused on the SAF 44, the Mamasapano incident. They said justice will be rendered to the SAF 44. How can that be if the Ampatuan massacre victims, whose suspects are now in jail, cannot be given justice, and in fact, the perpetrators on the killing of the SAF 44 from the MILF BIFF are still unknown,” she said.
Mrs. Nuñez added that judgment must be rendered to those who are already in jail and must not wait until all suspects are apprehended.
Aside from Sajid, 40 other accused on the Maguindanao massacre were allowed to post an P11.6 million bail bond each for the 58 counts of murder. (Victor Cosare / UNTV News)