PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson and Presidential Adviser on Human Rights Harry L. Roque, Jr. on Thursday said he will meet anew with prosecutors tasked with the 2009 Ampatuan massacre case to update President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
In a press briefing at the Palace on Thursday, Mr. Roque, who once served as a private prosecutor for the victims’ families, said: “Obviously, I have a sort of delicadeza issue here. But nonetheless, because this is a public interest case, I’d like to inform the public that I’m arranging a meeting with the panel prosecutors in the Palace again. And 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.”
Mr. Roque also noted “that apparently, there are some witnesses” against the prime suspect, former Datu Unsay mayor Andal U. Ampatuan, Jr., “who have retracted their testimonies.”
“But I have been assured by the panel of prosecutors that, so far, despite the retraction, the case against Unsay [Mr. Ampatuan, Jr.] remains strong,” he added.
Last June, Mr. Roque announced that the President had “instructed the prosecution panel to do its best to get partial judgment against some of the accused within the year.”
“That is the marching order of the President when he conferred with the prosecution panel. And we hope to do that,” Mr. Roque said.
In his meeting with the relatives of the Ampatuan massacre victims last year, the President made a promise that justice will be served “under his watch.”
Nov. 23 this year will mark the ninth anniversary of the massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao, which claimed the lives of 58, including 32 identified with the media. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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