The cop out of Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 84 Judge Luisito Cortez from the multiple murder case against suspected massacre artist Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. mirrors the desperate state of the justice system in which arbiters of law on whom the people rely for justice, are either cowed by criminals or syndicates or are easily bought off. The courts have been embroiled in many other situations that cast a cloud on the reputations of most judges in the country, including the recent tussle about big business bribery where, as opposed to the Ampatuan case, judges are on each other’s neck to have the case assigned to them. The judiciary, nevertheless, is rich with stories of exemplary judges, and there are many who would defy all odds just to uphold the rule of law. A handful has been killed in recent years by those whom the judges had passed their verdict.
INT’L JOURNALISTS TO MONITOR MASSACRE CASE PROGRESS (tags)
AJLPP News learned today that Human rights and journalists organizations worldwide lashed out at the Arroyo administration yesterday for creating “a culture of impunity” that led to the massacre of at least 57 persons in Maguindanao province that included 30 journalists. An international delegation of journalists led by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) will monitor the progress of the prosecution of those responsible for the carnage which the IFJ called as the biggest single atrocity against journalists in recent history. Amnesty International (AI) said the government must urgently ensure that witnesses are protected and safeguard vital forensic evidence to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr, a member of the powerful Ampatuan family that has dominated local politics in Maguindanao province in the country’s restive Mindanao region, is now under arrest and faces multiple murder charges. He has denied involvement in the massacre.
MILF, SUARA BANGSA MORO SCOFFED AT AMPATUAN CLAIMS (tags)
The AJLPP NEWS sources learned today that The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Suara Bangsamoro,scoffed at the claim of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. that MILF rebels were behind the Nov. 23 mass murder in Maguindanao. MILF vice chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said Ampatuan’s claim was “absurd” and that “even a small kid would not believe it.” MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu said it was “a mediocre attempt to divert the issue.” “Who would believe that?” Kabalu said.