Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Tuesday, November 24, 2009 11:02 am TWN, Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asian News Network



	In this undated file photo, Philippine soldiers are seen patrolling a local village. At least 36 persons were reported killed by a group of gunmen when a convoy carrying journalists and family and supporters of a candidate for the provincial goverment elections was hijacked in Maguindanao province, about 560 miles (900 kilometers) south of Manila. (AP) Enlarge Photo

Sponsors
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.

36 killed in Philippine political massacre

A hotel staff informed the trio that two motorcycle-riding men asked for the whereabouts of the media. They even tried to get the names of all journalists covering the scheduled filing of the COC of Mangudadatu. The hotel staff, however, did not give the names of journalists claiming they didn't have the list.

Sensing danger ahead, the three journalists decided not to proceed to Shariff Aguak.

Early Monday morning, the Inquirer tried to contact the journalists who travelled with the convoy but they could no longer be reached.

A text message sent back by Bart Maravilla's mobile phone number even said: "cnung bart? Ala akong kila2ng ganun ee."

No one from the Ampatuans could be contacted for reactions.

Even the mobile phone of provincial election supervisor Estelita Orbase at the provincial capitol could not be contacted.

The massacre happened while Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan were reportedly in Manila for an emergency meeting with presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio.

Health workers in Maguindanao said some of them had to go home early to this city in trying to evade the very volatile situation.

On Monday afternoon, Cotabato City-based reporters dispatched to cover the hostage-taking had to return to base when told of the hazard waiting at the scene.

Told to back-off by government security troops were ABS-CBN and GMA television crew and other print and broadcast journalists.

Loreto Rosario of the Catholic-ran DXMS radio said "the situation is too hot and we were told to wait for it to cool off."

A correspondent of GMA-Cotabato said he was prevented from taking footage and "soldiers and civilians told us not to proceed. Delikado raw (It's dangerous)."

Lerio Bompat of ABS-CBN said journalists were limited to the Capitol premises and were advised not to go to the scene of the crime, about 5 kilometers away from the Comelec office.

Vice Mayor Mangudadatu said he had asked the military and police for security escorts but the request was ignored.

He also appealed to Malacanang to "act and stop the excesses of the Ampatuans."

"I'm determined to run no matter what happens. Change must take place in Maguindanao. I want to save the Bangsamoro people from this kind of leadership," the vice mayor said.

1|2

Comments

November 24, 2009 cuncun@

What a barbaric act. No wonder that Muslims are not always welcome because some are primitives. The criminals must be punished without mercy.

November 24, 2009 err_co_eds@

That's the real assassination, massacre and beheading the victims of the political rival's. No doubt about it. And needless for hospital treatments and images of wounds for the media for an exhibit. It’s not the 3/19/04 of Corrupt Chen and Anneth Lu for sympathy vote.

November 24, 2009 ilovetaipei@

Both of you above are so absolutely right. We are so lucky that our government has that vision to ban Terrorist Chiefwoman Rebiyaaa Kadearrr and her bunch of scary terrorists bully to enter our beautiful island. Otherwise Mayor Chen Chu and the DPP head will be C... and separated from their body. Ohhh... So scary.

November 25, 2009 freespeech@

Hey Cuncun,

You do realize that the perpetrators and the victims from the rival political clan are BOTH Muslims?! It may be the largest mass killing in recent times but don't think other groups in PI aren't doing the same in smaller numbers, catholic, Muslim or otherwise. The entire country is very corrupt, north to south, and note that the responsible clan is an ally of Arroyo and that the fed. gov't doesn't do anything to stop these types of large families from committing such acts because they deliver large numbers of votes. They'll have an investigation, indict a few people, but the system will carry on. Not much has changed since Marcos-dear. And don't be mad about the truth. I'm a Filipina and I know, so should you.

November 25, 2009 chadecruz@

ilovetaipei@ wrote:
Both of you above are so absolutely right. We are so lucky that our government has that vision to ban Terrorist Chiefwoman Rebiyaaa Kadearrr and her bunch of scary terrorists bully to enter our beautiful island. Otherwise Mayor Chen Chu and the DPP head will be C... and separated from their body. Ohhh... So scary.

Oh well so we thank our gov't? Our corrupt leaders who have no balls to stop corruption because they themselves are corrupt. Arroyo must personally go to the scene of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. NOW!!! what is her words on this aside from condemning? Nothing - only preparing herself for the next election. Preparing to get hold of the position by doing another "miracle"? I hope Filipinos will get a lesser evil this time... pleaaaassseee!!!

November 27, 2009 ludahai_twn@

Wow! Reading these comments, the stupidity and idiocy of Blues on this board never ceases to amaze me.

1. Not all Muslims are primitives and barbarians. Islamic culture has given mankind amazing contributions to learning and civlization.

2. As for the assassination attempt in Taiwan in 2004, the fact that the Deep Blues still have to insist that it was staged for a "sympathy vote" shows how bankrupt your side and your ideas are despite the fact that your theory has been completely discredited.

3. Kadeer is NOT a terrorist. The USA has given her permission to reside there. The US is not in the habit of granting residency to terrorists.

Blues need to take off their blue-tinted glasses. People like yourselves are an embarassment to your party and while most of my Blue friends show much more intelligence than any of you, the likes of you in the party show some of the darker tendencies of the party that brought us the white terror and have had five legislators expelled for violating the law.

November 30, 2009 johnny.brian@

Yikes! Blue and Green having political parties, throwing mud, saliva wars and accusing of each other. It did not solve anything. If any politician whether Blue or Green, is residing in the Philippines, especially in the south. My advice is "Make No Mistake" because they have really "guts". BTW, the 319 is a fake assassination on Chen and the corruption of Chen is really the truth of his own doings for family. Not for the cause of people in Taiwan.

December 1, 2009 carltanong@

@ludahai_twn
1-Nobody said all Muslims are all primitives and barbarians.
2. It’s your own imagination and illusion to silent your own believed in supporting your own ICON of CORRUPTION and the 3/19 fake assassination.
3. Rebiya Kadeer is a SLEEPER TERRORIST. Terrorist Sleeper is a Silent Killer. Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the American-Muslim army psychiatrist look like a patriot to U.S.A. Actually Hasan is a TERRORIST SLEEPER. Look at Fort Hood, Texas. Terrorist Hasan killed 13 innocent people. It’s too late for American army and police to stop him when Terrorist Hasan was awaken. REMEMBER AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT 9/11 and other events caused by the AWAKEN TERRORIST around the world. Why should our country welcome to that TERRORIST SLEEPER REBIYA KADEER? NO WAY!!!