Verdict on Ampatuan Massacre out December 19

Nonoy Espina, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, lament that of the 187 media killings since 1986, only 17 had convictions. (Photo by Carlo Manalansan / Bulatlat)

By ALYSSA MAE CLARIN
Bulatlat.com

MANILA— After ten long years, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 will issue its decision on the Ampatuan Massacre case on December 19.

In a one-page order, RTC Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn. A. Solis-Reyes announced, “Let the promulgation of judgement in the above-entitled case be set on December 19, 2019 at 9:00 o’clock in the morning.”

Reyes had previously asked the Supreme Court for an extension of 30 days to promulgate the judgement of the case where 58 individuals, 32 of them journalists, were brutally massacred by members of the Ampatuan clan.

The promulgation is set to be held at the Quezon City Jail-Annex, Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines welcomes this. The group said justice has long been denied for the victims and said that they hope those who are responsible of this ‘dastardly crime’ will be held accountable and punished.

“We expect nothing less than a conviction especially those directly responsible and involved in the killings. Otherwise, the mockery of justice and the culture of impunity will continue to reign and worsen,” the NUJP said in a statement. Bulatlat.com

(https://www.bulatlat.com)

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