by Eliseo Mercado Jr. , OMI
November 23rd is now etched in the history of the province of Maguindanao as the day of shameless ignominy. On that day, a convoy of the women folks of the Mangudadatu clan, accompanied by their women lawyers and media people was on its way to the capitol of the province in Sharif Aguak municipality when it was stopped by PNP forces with hundreds of armed civilian volunteers (under the command of the PNP) along the national highway in Ampatuan municipality. The convoy was directed to take the farm road leading to a deep hole meant to be the mass grave of the entire members of the convoy and other vehicles that happened to follow the convoy.
It all began about three weeks ago with a Comelec Resolution directing the transfer of its satellite office from Cotabato City to the Maguindanao capitol. Then, another resolution came directing all candidates in the province to file their certificates of candidacy at the provincial capitol. These resolutions looked innocent when read and seen outside the concrete political context in the province.
Anyone in the place knows that the said resolutions follow the logic of the local politics and the control over the Comele on the ground. The Comelec can neither feign ignorance of these realities nor wash its hands in the ensuing massacre in Maguindanao. The concrete experiences of 2004 and 2007 elections and the participation of the Comelec in the province are too gross to ignore.
There is a reason and politics in the physical shifting “capitol” sites. There is a need to locate the “capitol” in a place to ensure total control. For this reason, Maguindanao can qualify to put the capitol building on wheels. It began in Cotabato City; then the late Datu Udtog Matalam moved it to Pagalungan; Post Datu Udtog, it was moved back to Cotabato City; then to Maganoy (Sharif Aguak); Zacaria Candao moved it back to Cotabato City; then he moved it to a new site in Sultan Kudarat. The Ampatuans moved the ‘capitol’ back to Maganoy where it is now.
The total control of the capitol ensures absolute control over all government machineries in the capitol site, including the Comelec, PNP and AFP.
The Comelec transferred its satellite office to Sharif Aguak and the requirement to file the certificates of candidacy in the ‘capitol’ is NOT as innocent as it looks unless Comelec was born yesterday!
This Comelec decision has forced the Mangudadatus to go into the heartland of the Ampatuan clan. Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu decided to go and file his certificate of candidacy. But he was prevailed upon by the mother to let the women do the filing. The clan believed that Toto’s presence in Aguak may lead to actual bloodshed. The mother and the religious leaders believed that an all-women delegation accompanied by media people and women lawyers would be respected. Islam strongly enjoins believers to respect women and children even during times of war.
As a double insurance for the delegation, the Mangudadatu clan had asked for police escorts from the PNP provincial command. It refused to do so. Understanding the perceived partisanship of the Maguindanao PNP, the clan asked for military escort from the 601st Brigade that has an operational responsibility for area. They were told that the AFP does not give escort to politicians. The clan appealed to the highest military command in the region for a security escort for the women. They were assured by the highest military command that the ‘road is safe and there will be no need to worry’.
With that assurance, the all-women delegation began the trek to Sharif Aguak. At crossing Salman along the national highway in broad daylight in Ampatuan municipality, the convoy was stopped, including the other vehicles accidentally passing by that momentous time, by hundreds of armed groups believed to be CVOs that included some officials of the PNP in the province and a local mayor positively identified by the Mangudadatus.
The entire convoy was led to an open pit dug by the provincial engineering equipment. There the carnage began with brutality and no mercy for women, children and the members of the media.
The last vehicle in the convoy, delayed by few minutes, saw the whole gang stopping the convoy and made positive identification. It turned back with speed and asked for help. But alas, the help came too late.
Today, the people of Maguindanao and Cotabato City are in total disbelief for what they are hearing over the radio as the massacre continues to unfold. They are stunned and shocked! The real word is feeling of revulsion for how things stand in the province and the community.
The Comelec has now allowed filing of candidacy in the City and in Sultan Kudarat without filing for an exception. It has also returned the satellite office to the city. Comelec shares the blame for this massacre. Ignorance can never be an excuse! It was a very costly political decision!
