Main suspect in 2009 Philippine massacre dies in hospital

He was accused of ordering his and several other men to attack the convoy of his political opponent who were on their way together with supporters to file for candidacy for governor in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009.

Final prayers and rites were performed by mostly male relatives in a private family mosque that Ampatuan Sr. had built inside the mansion’s compound, following which Ampatuan Sr. was buried in a family plot near the mosque beside his son, Saudi, the Datu Piang mayor who was killed in a bomb explosion in 2002.

Cotabato City (CNN Philippines) – The loved ones of the former Maguindanao Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. mourned Saturday (July 18) after he passed away on Friday night – days after he fell into a coma.

Andal Sr. was transferred from detention to the NKTI on June 5 for treatment of his end-stage liver cancer.

Despite the fall from power of its patriarch, members of the Ampatuan clan still hold local positions in the province. The incident was the world’s worst single killing of media workers.

The trial has moved excruciatingly slowly, with allegations of bribery, potential witnesses being killed or threatened, and delaying maneuvers by the clan’s lawyers. “At the back of my mind, I hoped he would live longer, just so he would have time to repent from his sins”, she said in Filipino.

Prayers will be said for him before he is buried.

“As a lawyer, I regret that he has to die and deprive me of presenting him as my witness and depriving himself to testify on the side of the Ampatuans”, he said.

Malacanang earlier said the case against the other accused should go on and instructed the DOJ to prevent possible dilatory tactics that defense lawyers could employ because of the death of the massacre’s reported mastermind.

“We know that the search for justice continues and we will persevere on behalf of our clients”, he said in a statement.

But while many have kind words to say, Ampatuan Sr.’s story will inevitably be judged by his alleged participation in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Widows of Maguindanao victims said Saturday that they could not forgive the powerful clan warlord.

Jail bureau spokeswoman Superintendent Carolina Borrinaga told reporters in Manila that Ampatuan’s remains were briefly shown to sons Andal Jr. and Zaldy at their maximum security cells in Manila’s outskirts before the body was flown to Maguindanao. It hardly seems possible that such a major undertaking, done precisely to eliminate a direct threat to Andal Sr.

“No burial honors. Hindi na kailangan mag half mast (There will be no flying of the flags at half mast)”, for the former three-term governor of Maguindanao, Governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudatu, told MindaNews Friday morning.