Justice served for massacre victims, says Go

Close to his heart Children greet Senator Bong Go as he visits the fire victims in Leveriza, Malate.

Justice has been served as far as victims of the infamous Maguindanao massacre is concerned.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go expressed this yesterday in reaction to a question thrown at him during an inspection visit Friday afternoon at hundreds of fire victims in Leveriza, Malate, Manila.

Go even recalled that on the day the crime happened, Mangudadatu sought the help of then Mayor Duterte and a helicopter make a round trip the crime site that all the men of Ampatuan escaped leaving behind the trace of their brutal crime.

He said that people who are hopeless and seeking ‘instant justice’ turn to Mayor Duterte for help and that was the remarkable image that the president left behind at Davao city.

Go even called on some of the suspects still in hiding to surface and face the charges thrown against them so that trial will continue which will only mean two things: Either they run or face the music if they want to continue a normal life.

Policemen who were acquitted from multiple charges in connection with the celebrated massacre will not be automatically reinstated to resume their service, the Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified on Friday.

According to PNP spokesman PBGen. Bernard Banac, the acquittal of the police officers in the controversial case “does not necessarily translate to reinstatement to the police service.”

Seventeen of those acquitted in the promulgation of judgment last 19 December, placed on automatic leave of absence without pay while in jail awaiting judgment, may be greenlighted to rejoin the police force should they pass all the requirements and pass all proceedings.

“Now that they are set free by virtue of their acquittal, we are now conducting study of their status and individual case folders to prepare our recommendation should anyone of them apply for restoration to full duty status,” Banac said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

They, however, will not receive back wages should their reinstatement be finalized.

Banac also called on the public to help the PNP capture the 80 other suspects who remain at large and are “presumed armed and dangerous.”

In Altavas, Aklan, the family of the two slain victims of the massacre has urged government authorities to arrest the other suspects in the heinous crime.

Roger Oquendo, a councilor of this town, said two of the victims were members of his family. The victims are lawyer Cynthia Oquendo and her father Catalino Oquendo.

The young Oquendo is a lawyer of the Mangungudatu when they were killed by the Ampatuans 10 years ago.

Atty. Gemma Oquendo, the sister of Cynthia represented the victims in the court hearings.