| |
| Outrage after new delay in Philippine massacre trial |
| 03-SEP-2010 | AFP |
|
| 3 Sep, 2010 - 7:00:00 AM |
|
|
Relatives of 57 people killed in the Philippines' worst political massacre expressed outrage on Wednesday after a court delayed the trial of the main suspect and his alleged police accomplices.
The latest setback fuelled concerns that the case may drag on for years in the country's overburdened justice system, allowing the Ampatuan clan accused of the murders more time to threaten or eliminate witnesses.
"The court is very unfair and it is always favouring the criminals," Catherine Nunez, a mother of one the victims, told reporters as she broke down in tears inside the Manila courtroom after the judge postponed proceedings.
Nunez said relatives of the victims were terrified that Ampatuans would continue to intimidate them, even while being held in detention.
"They are rich. We do not have anything," said Nunez. "Our enemies are powerful and we fear for our lives."
More than 20 other relatives of the victims were in the courtroom on Wednesday and some echoed Nunez's comments.
Andal Ampatuan Jnr and over 100 members of his clan's private army allegedly stopped a convoy belonging to a political rival in the southern Philippines in November last year and killed 57 people.
Ampatuan Jnr, then a local mayor, allegedly led the massacre to stop the rival from running against him for the post of Maguindanao province governor in this year's national elections.
Relatives of the rival, Esmael Mangudadatu, plus more than 30 journalists travelling in the convoy, were among those slain.
The trial of Ampatuan Jnr, and 16 policemen who were allegedly part of his clan's private army, on murder charges was meant to start on Wednesday, following months of delays during witnesses have been murdered.
But presiding judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes said she had granted a request by Ampatuan Jnr's lawyers to postpone proceedings for another week to allow them to study further documents presented during pre-trial.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima accused the clan's lawyers of filing unnecessary motions in a bid to delay the trial and frustrate state prosecutors.
"The have been delaying the trial. They will again file another motion and it may be delayed again," she said.
Even simple court cases typically get caught up for years in the Philippine justice system, and a lawyer for some of the victims' families voiced concern that the Ampatuan case could drag on for years.
"I have been saying all along that if this is going to be business as usual, like today, this would be a never-ending ordeal," said Harry Roque, a private lawyer representing some of the victims' families.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said four witnesses had been murdered while the case was bogged down in the courts, potentially weakening the prosecution cases.
"The HRW is concerned that some members of the Ampatuan family are still able to give orders from behind bars, it puts the witnesses at a greater danger," it said.
The Ampatuans ruled the restive Maguindanao province for nearly a decade under the patronage of then-president Gloria Arroyo.
Arroyo allowed the Ampatuans to run their own private army as a proxy force to contain Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines.
Ampatuan Jnr's father and namesake, Andal Ampatuan Snr, who was then Maguindanao governor, and four other other clan members, have also been charged with murder.
In total, more than 190 members people have been charged with murder, however not all of them have been detained.
Only Ampatuan Jnr and the 16 policemen were due to have their trials begin on Wednesday.
|
|
|
|
