Duterte to meet prosecutors in Maguindanao massacre – Roque

September 13, 2018

The panel of prosecutors will update President Rodrigo Duterte on the status of the Maguindanao massacre cases amid reported efforts to convince witnesses to recant their testimonies against some of the prime suspects from the Ampatuan clan, an official said on Thursday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he is arranging a meeting with the prosecutors in the Palace again, with Duterte to be invited in the meeting.

"Again I would like to invite the President to join us in our meeting so that the President can be apprised by the prosecution team on what’s happening," he said.

Roque, who used to be one of the lawyers of some victims in the killings in November 2009, noted that apparently there were some witnesses against Andal Ampatuan Jr. who have retracted their testimonies.

However, he added that the prosecutors have assured that despite the retraction of some witnesses, the case against Ampatuan remains strong.

The spokesman reiterated that it is Malacanang's hope that conviction of some of the suspects would take place within the year.

Some 58 individuals, including 32 journalists, were killed on November 23, 2009 in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town in what was considered as the worst incident of electoral violence in the country's recent history. Celerina Monte/DMS