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96-550: The Maguindanao massacre (also known as the Ampatuan massacre , named after the town where mass graves of victims were found) occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao , Philippines (now located in Maguindanao del Sur ). The 58 victims were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu , vice mayor of Buluan , when they were kidnapped and later killed. Mangudadatu

192-544: A chairman and two other members, to take over the functions of the secretary of the interior relative to the elections. but since the amendments could not be effective in time for the 1940 elections, the National Assembly, by Commonwealth Act No. 607, created a Commission on Elections, giving thereto the same powers which the Commission on Elections could have under the amended constitution. The statutory commission supervised

288-562: A college degree, with a majority of them, including the chairman, members of the Philippine Bar who have been engaged in the practice of law for at least ten years; and must not have been a candidate for any elective position in the immediate preceding elections. The chairman and the commissioners are appointed by the president, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and hold office for seven years, without reappointment. Since 1987,

384-575: A finalist in the 2017–2018 Art Renewal Center Salon competition. The 2021 crime thriller On the Job: The Missing 8 (also known as On the Job 2 ) is partly inspired by the case. In the film, 8 people, mostly journalists, were ambushed, killed and was believed to be buried under the orders of their town's mayor, by an inmate who is routinely released from prison to carry out assassinations. The director Erik Matti said to New Musical Express (NME) that

480-585: A major ally in Mindanao. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan was the party's regional chairman. Andal Sr., the family patriarch, had been provincial governor since 1998; he had been elected three times, unopposed. Eighteen of the mayors in Maguindanao belong to the clan. The elder Ampatuan attributed his popularity to "popular support", adding that "Because I am so loved by

576-554: A pending motion to determine if there is probable cause to prosecute him for the charged 57 counts of murder. In November 2012, acting on a motion filed by Andal Ampatuan Jr., the Supreme Court set guidelines disallowing the live media broadcast of the trial but allowing the filming of the proceedings for real-time transmissions to specified viewing areas and for documentation. This ruling was in reconsideration of an earlier ruling which had allowed live media coverage. On March 4, 2014,

672-518: A police checkpoint in Barangay Masalay, about 10 km from Shariff Aguak (four in other versions), for a routine inspection. At that moment, at least ten vehicles carrying heavily armed gunmen arrived and surrounded the convoy. The men, led by Andal Ampatuan Jr. , took the occupants of the vehicles as hostages and ordered the policemen who were present to step aside. According to the Inquirer , several of

768-407: A press briefing. The statement was made allegedly in support of a different statement by COMELEC Commissioner Socorro Inting who in turn was commenting on a statement released by supporters of then presidential candidate and Vice-president Leni Robredo who called for COMELEC to remain nonpartisan for the sake of the elections. Commissioner Inting commented that it was simply unnecessary to call on

864-410: A revolution, replaced every locally elected official with officers-in-charge, although the town of Maganoy was approached differently; the aging mayor, Pinagayaw Ampatuan, was replaced by his vice mayor, Andal Ampatuan Sr. He won the 1988 local elections and served for ten years. Andal Sr. was elected governor 1998 . Members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD , President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo listed Andal Sr. as

960-415: A state of martial law , thereby suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus . Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the step was taken in order to avert the escalation of "lawless" violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the suspects in the massacre. Following the declaration, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr . The raid resulted in

1056-567: A vacant lot, rifles, shotguns, pistols, machine guns, SMGs and ammo, explosives and military uniforms in Zaldy's house. Andal's house had more weapons and ammo with military uniforms inside. The raids yielded weapons powerful enough to arm a battalion of soldiers, and ammo crates bearing the name of Department of National Defense (Philippines) . This situation was facilitated by Philippine law, which permits local government officials to legally buy an unlimited number of weapons without any obligation to report

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1152-745: A woman presumed to be President Gloria Arroyo and a man presumed to be COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano . Abalos was the COMELEC chair when the election body approved a P1.3-billion contract with the Mega Pacific Consortium for the purchase of automated counting machines, which the Supreme Court in January 2004 declared as void because of "clear violation of law and jurisprudence" and "reckless disregard of COMELEC 's own bidding rules and procedure." On January 21, 2004, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. filed criminal and administrative charges before

1248-583: Is also the deadliest mass shooting to ever occur in the Philippines. Events/Artifacts (north to south) Events/Artifacts Artifacts The Ampatuans had been in control of Maguindanao since 2001. Andal Ampatuan Sr. first came into prominence when President Corazon Aquino appointed him as Chief-of-Offices of Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak) in 1986 immediately after the People Power Revolution . Aquino, after coming into power in 1986 through

1344-484: Is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines . Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections in the Philippines . The other two Constitutional Commissions are the Commission on Audit and Civil Service Commission . According to Article IX-C, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines , the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) shall exercise

1440-491: The Ombudsman against Abalos and other commissioners in connection with the deal. Abalos described the charges as a "demolition job." Pimentel accused Abalos and the other commissioners of committing an act of impropriety when they and their wives traveled to Seoul, South Korea to visit the plant of the maker of the counting machines a few months before the bidding for the contract started. Pimentel said he received information that

1536-488: The Supreme Court and six members of the National Assembly. In view, however, of the close official ties between the president and the secretary of interior, there was always the danger of a partisan secretary of the interior exploiting his powers and influence to ensure the victory of his party at the polls. As a consequence, the constitution was amended in 1940 to create an independent Commission on Elections, composed of

1632-623: The "new" Commission on Elections. On February 15, 1988, Hilario G. Davide Jr. was appointed chairman, with Alfredo E. Abueg Jr., Haydee B. Yorac, Leopoldo L. Africa, Andres R. Flores, Dario C. Rama and Magdara B. Dimaampao as commissioners. Commissioner Haydee B. Yorac was appointed as acting chairman when Hilario G. Davide Jr. was appointed chairman of the Presidential Fact Finding Commission in December 1989, pursuant to Administrative Order No. 146. On June 6, 1991 Christian Monsod

1728-412: The 1973 constitution, the commission was composed of nine members, with one chairman and eight commissioners, each having seven-year terms with no reappointments. Among the first nine members appointed, the first three had seven-year terms, the next three had five-year terms, and the last three had three-year terms, all starting in 1973. The commission never reached its full complement of nine members during

1824-514: The AFP na sa panahong ito ay nasa ilalim ng control ng Comelec para patulan at ipahuli at ipakulong kayo,” “To those issuing public opinion that Comelec is biased or that it would cause election fraud, I am warning you that we would not hesitate to call upon the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is now under Comelec control, to round you up and have you jailed” - Commissioner Rey Bulay said during

1920-521: The COMELEC to hold a “nonpartisan” election. The commissioner also noted how such statements are liable to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the commission and by extension the elections themselves. Local news agency Rappler noted that it was unclear why Commissioner Inting took offense to this statement released by the supporters of Leni Robredo, which simply reminded the commission to hold fair and safe elections. Several lawmakers and concerned groups slammed

2016-463: The Commission on Appointments (CA), so Commissioner Romeo A. Brawner was appointed ad interim acting chairman on February 2, 2008, and stayed as chairman until Melo was confirmed by the CA. On March 25, 2008, former Supreme Court justice Jose Melo was sworn in as new chairman of the COMELEC by acting chair Romeo A. Brawner . Melo's ad interim appointment (Congress was not in session) was sent by Malacañang to

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2112-715: The Commission on Appointments (CA)." On September 27, 2007, Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico filed a 69-page impeachment complaint (3:00 p.m.) against COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. before the House of Representatives of the Philippines regarding the ZTE national broadband network (NBN) deal . It was endorsed by Representatives Teofisto Guingona III of Bukidnon and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna (People First), and Zamboanga City Representative Ma. Isabelle Climaco . Affidavits of Romulo Neri and Jose de Venecia III supported

2208-488: The Commission on Appointments. On May 29, 2008, Romeo A. Brawner died from a massive heart attack . Brawner, appointed to the COMELEC to replace the controversial Virgilio Garcillano, was supposed to end his term on February 2, 2011. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo , on July 2, 2008, appointed former acting judge (Br. 74, RTC, Malabon ) Leonardo Leonida and retired justice of the Court of Appeals Lucenito Tagle as commissioners of

2304-399: The Commission on Elections. On November 7, 2008, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Armando Velasco as new election commissioner, and reappointed bypassed commissioners Leonardo L. Leonida and Lucenito N. Tagle. Eduardo Ermita stated "Velasco replaced COMELEC commissioner and former Iligan City Judge Moslemen Macarambon Jr. whose appointment had been bypassed several times by

2400-507: The Department of Justice Panel of Prosecutors denied having received any bribes. The statement also expressed that Baraan and the panel of prosecutors had the full trust and support of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. Also in August 2014, several teams of defense lawyers representing the accused withdrew from the case, citing conflicts of interest among their clients and other reasons. On August 13,

2496-492: The House Prospero Nograles called on the police to quickly identify the perpetrators of the massacre and disarm private armies. The Philippine Department of Justice created a panel of special prosecutors to handle cases arising from the massacre. Nueva Ecija Rep. Eduardo Nonato N. Joson said the massacre might affect, or even lead to the cancellation of, the scheduled 2010 presidential elections . Candidates in

2592-735: The House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against COMELEC Commissioner Resureccion Borra. Just six weeks before the 2016 Philippine general election , the COMELEC website was hacked by a group called " Anonymous Philippines " on the night of March 27, 2016. Anonymous Philippines asked the poll body to implement security on Precinct Count Optical Scanners (PCOS)—automated voting machines. Another group calling itself LulzSec Pilipinas , claimed to have hacked COMELEC 's website, and posted its database on their Facebook account shortly after Anonymous Philippines compromised COMELEC 's website. These exploits exposed voter data and

2688-793: The Korean company paid for the plane tickets and hotel accommodations for the trip. However, Abalos claimed that the expenses for the trip were paid for out of the P1 million he won in a golf tournament in Wack Wack Golf and Country Club . On September 27, 2006, the Ombudsman, in a resolution, absolved all respondents involved in the Mega Pacific controversy of all administrative and criminal liabilities "for lack of probable cause." It also reversed its June 28 resolution which contained factual findings that can be used by

2784-659: The Maguindanao massacre. An emergency meeting of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was held in Pasig , during which the Ampatuans were stripped of their membership. On Thursday, November 26, 2009, Ampatuan Jr. surrendered to his brother Zaldy , was delivered to adviser to the peace process Jesus Dureza, then was flown to General Santos on his way to Manila , where he was taken to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters. Police in

2880-454: The Mangudadatu family; two media vehicles – a Mitsubishi Pajero owned by DZRH broadcast journalist Henry Araneta, and a Mitsubishi L-300 van owned by UNTV ; and a fifth Grandia boarded by mediamen, which lagged behind the rest of the convoy and thus was able to avoid being captured by the gunmen. At around 10:00 am, the convoy was passing through the town of Ampatuan when it stopped at

2976-505: The NBN project. De Venecia is a majority shareholder of Amsterdam Holdings Inc., a company that submitted an unsolicited proposal on the NBN project. De Venecia also claimed that Abalos asked for money from the ZTE Corp. officials. Abalos was mentioned in the "Hello Garci" tape, which refers to the alleged wiretapped conversations where vote rigging in the 2004 elections was discussed by, among others,

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3072-636: The Philippines charged Andal Ampatuan Jr. with murder. Ampatuan denied the charges, claiming that he was at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak when the massacre took place. He instead blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), specifically Ombra Kato, as the mastermind, a charge the MILF dismissed as "absurd." On December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No. 1959, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially placed Maguindanao province under

3168-511: The Philippines originally estimated that a total of 20 journalists were killed, including an undisclosed number of NUJP members. The Philippine Daily Inquirer later updated the number of journalists killed to 34. On November 24, the president of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo responded to the news of the massacre by declaring a state of emergency in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City . Speaker of

3264-433: The Supreme Court said in a briefing that around a third of the 103 accused who remain on trial had finished presenting their evidence and that, under the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court specifically applying to this case only, the court may render judgment separately and not wait for all the accused to conclude presenting their evidence. On June 21, 2018, Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that he expected

3360-509: The backlash, Commissioner Bulay commented that his statement was only a warning, and that he was only reminding people to follow the law. The role of the Comelec was put into scrutiny in 2024 when Alice Guo was elected as mayor of Bamban , Tarlac in the 2022 election. Guo is alleged to be a Chinese citizen in the Senate inquiry, consequentially putting the validity of her election as mayor. Comelec

3456-521: The broadband project. Abalos denied brokering for the National Broadband Network project despite admitting he knew some officials in ZTE Corp. He admitted making four trips to China and playing golf there. He also admitted that ZTE officials, who he said were his golf buddies, hosted and paid for the trips. Jose de Venecia III, son of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. , alleged that Abalos offered him US$ 10 million to withdraw his proposal on

3552-551: The case at a special court session held at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig . In her verdict, the Ampatuan brothers—namely Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan—were convicted of 57 counts of murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua without parole . 28 co-accused (including police officers) were also convicted of 57 counts of murder and sentenced to 40 years; an additional 15 were sentenced to 6–10 years for being accessories to

3648-400: The case to be concluded in 2018. In a later statement on November 21, he said that he was hopeful of a decision within the first half of 2019. On August 8, 2019, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that the case may be decided before its 10th anniversary on November 23. On December 19, 2019, Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes served her judgment on

3744-507: The charge sheet were still unaccounted for. On June 28, 2012, the Court of Appeals dismissed the petition of Anwar Ampatuan to have the murder charges against him quashed. Anwar Ampatuan is the grandson of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., and is charged with 57 counts of murder. He was arrested in August 2012. In September 2012, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court deferred his arraignment pending resolution of

3840-422: The commission had a fixed term of nine years each – a member being replaced every three years except in the first commission. They could be removed from office only by impeachment . They were provided with fixed salaries which could neither be increased nor diminished during their term of office. These were safeguards to ensure the independence of the commission. The administrative control of elections exercised by

3936-455: The commission or the chairman. During the 1935 constitution, the commission was composed of three members, with one chairman and two commissioners, each having nine-year terms with no reappointments. Among the first three members appointed, the first had a nine-year term, the second had a six-year term, and the last had a three-year term, all starting in the commission's reorganization on June 21, 1941, via Commonwealth Act No. 657. Starting with

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4032-597: The commission. However, the Commission on Appointments did not confirm his appointment due to opposition of some commissioners led by Luzviminda Tancangco. On June 5, 2002, President Arroyo appointed Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman and former Mandaluyong mayor Benjamin S. Abalos Sr. to replace Benipayo. On January 26, 2008, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed former Supreme Court associate justice Jose Melo, 77, to replace Chair Abalos. The United Opposition ( Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino ) opposed Melo's appointment. However, Melo needed to be confirmed by

4128-484: The complaint. On October 1, 2007, COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. faced with an impending impeachment case, resigned in a press conference. The COMELEC appointed Resurreccion Z. Borra as acting chairman. Abalos stated: "I'm resigning... effective immediately." "However," Abalos added during the news conference, "let not my detractors feast on this declaration. I'm not admitting guilt for any wrongdoing." An impeachment complaint against COMELEC chairman Abalos

4224-424: The conduct of the December 10, 1940, local Philippine elections. The constitutional amendment creating the Commission on Elections was finally approved on December 2, 1940. On June 21, 1941, Commonwealth Act No. 657 was enacted reorganizing the Commission on Elections as a constitutional entity. The members of the statutory commission continued as members of the constitutional commission. The chairman and members of

4320-484: The confiscation of more than 330,000 rounds of 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition, a Humvee , and an improvised armored vehicle . Twenty militiamen were arrested on the premises. Captain James Nicolas of Special Forces was able to retrieve more high powered firearms and ammo after the incident. In the same raid, law enforcement also uncovered thousands of voter IDs buried in the ground. The state of martial law in Maguindanao

4416-401: The constituencies of the municipalities, they ask me to have my sons as representatives." In the 2004 presidential election , Arroyo won 69% of Maguindanao's vote; three years later , the party-backed coalition scored a 12–0 sweep of the senatorial elections in the province. Unable to run for a third term, he groomed his son, Andal Jr., to succeed him as governor. With escalating tensions in

4512-504: The convoy. At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called the Maguindanao massacre the "single deadliest event" for journalists since they began compiling records in 1992; at least 34 journalists are known to have died in the attack. Even before the massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq . The incident

4608-525: The convoy. Number of casualties: 1. Mistaken as part of the convoy. On November 16, 2010, the international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch issued a 96-page report titled "They Own the People", charting the Ampatuans’ rise to power, including their use of violence to expand their control and eliminate threats to the family's rule. The report links the Ampatuans to at least 56 other killings over

4704-681: The convoy: a red Toyota Vios and a light blue Toyota Tamaraw FX . The Vios had five occupants: Eduardo Lechonsito, a government employee who was bound for a hospital in Cotabato City after suffering a mild stroke that morning; Lechonsito's wife Cecille; co-workers Mercy Palabrica and Daryll delos Reyes; and the driver Wilhelm Palabrica. The FX was driven by Anthony Ridao, an employee of the National Statistics Coordination Board and son of Cotabato City councilor Marino Ridao. The occupants of these vehicles were also captured by

4800-590: The court assigned a public lawyer to represent accused affected by the withdrawals, including Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son Andal Jr. Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan was granted bail in January 2015 as the prosecution failed to present strong evidence warranting his detention during trial. In September, the court denied the bail petition of Ampatuan Sr's other son and one of the main accused, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan . The death of Andal Ampatuan Sr. on July 17, 2015, due to complications brought about by liver cancer, removed him from

4896-498: The crime. 55 others, including Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan, brother of Zaldy and Andal Jr. and the mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao , were acquitted. Thirty-four journalists are known to have been abducted and killed in the massacre, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer as of November 2009, only 25 had been positively identified. Number of casualties: 5. They were supposedly mistaken as part of

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4992-531: The election condemned the massacre. On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, the executive committee of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD political party unanimously voted to expel three members of the Ampatuan family – Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. – from the party for their alleged role in

5088-497: The election. Currently, the elected Municipal Officials are headed by Datu Rasul M. Sangki-Mayor and Datu Samnon M. Sangki-Vice Mayor. Ampatuan is politically subdivided into 11 barangays . Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios . Poverty Incidence of Ampatuan Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Commission on Elections (Philippines) The Commission on Elections ( Filipino : Komisyon sa Halalan ), abbreviated as COMELEC ,

5184-479: The film's themes were about tackling corruption in the Philippine media and would deliver a social commentary on the current state of the Philippine government. An upcoming adult animated documentary film 58th would similarly portrayed the massacre and the missing of the last victim that never found, directed by Carl Joseph Papa. Lara Tan reporting for CNN Philippines on December 20, 2019, reported that three of

5280-454: The first Muslim commissioner of the COMELEC , was appointed ambassador by President Ferdinand Marcos even before the expiration of his term. His unexpired term was taken over by Commissioner Hashim R. Abubakar. On May 17, 1980, Chairman Perez (who was later appointed minister on political affairs by President Marcos) and Commissioners Duque and Bayot, after completing their seven-years term, retired. Commissioner Santiago succeeded Perez, and

5376-481: The five-year anniversary of the massacre, Sacramento-based author Victoria Conlu released a novel titled Portraits of a Massacre , a fictionalized retelling set in a province similar to Maguindanao. Reviews have called the book "a stirringly severe literary intervention". The 2017 painting The Modern Holocaust (The Maguindanao Massacre) by the Filipino artist Romulo Galicano commemorates the massacre victims. It became

5472-464: The following powers and functions: The COMELEC was created by a 1940 amendment to the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines . Prior to the creation of the COMELEC , supervision over the conduct of elections was vested by law in the Executive Bureau under the Department of Interior and, later directly by the same department. The secretary of interior saw to it that local authorities performed

5568-416: The following were appointed commissioners: Domingo C. Pabalete; Victorino A. Savellano; Jaime C. Opinion; Noli Sagadraca; Romeo Firme: Luis Lardizabal and Ide C. Tillah. With Commissioner Lardizabal the membership of the commission was thus increased to eight, one short of the full complement of nine. Upon the retirement of Commissioners Firme, Tillah and Lardizabal on May 17, 1983, the Commission on Elections

5664-508: The gunmen were from the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU), an irregular auxiliary force of the AFP, and civilian volunteer organizations (CVOs). The gunmen initially forced the victims to get out and lie down on the ground and took their personal belongings from them, before ordering them back into their vehicles. There were two other vehicles that were also present at the checkpoint but were not part of

5760-427: The gunmen; apparently, they were mistaken as being part of the convoy. Some of Ampatuan Jr.'s men commandeered the waylaid vehicles and drove them out to a remote area of Ampatuan, where the victims were once again forced out of their vehicles. During this time, Mangudadatu's wife made a phone call to her husband at around 10:15 am, in which she said that they were being held by at least 100 gunmen whom she identified as

5856-598: The homes of a number of Ampatuan clan members. Two of the other homes targeted in the raids belonged to Akmad Ampatuan, Ampatuan Snr's brother who is the vice governor of Maguindanao, according to national police chief Jesus Verzosa. Philippines National Police seized several armored personnel carriers , over a thousand military weapons including machine guns, assault and sniper rifles, sub-machine guns, shotguns, pistols, mortar launchers and rounds, grenades, rocket launchers, and caches of ammo and several military uniforms in one house, several buried weapons, ammo and COMELEC IDs in

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5952-509: The last 20 years, apart from the November 23, 2009, massacre. History Asia premiered a documentary on the Maguindanao massacre entitled The Maguindanao Massacre on September 26, 2010. Filipino-American rap artist Bambu 's 2012 album, ...one rifle per family. , features a song titled Massacre detailing the massacre from the point of view of a journalist who witnessed the rape, mutilation, and murder of his family. In July 2014, in memory of

6048-524: The legal proceedings. The Department of Justice started the probe of 50 new suspects with a preliminary investigation in March 2015. In a landmark ruling reported on July 6, 2017, the special court handling the trial dismissed for lack of evidence the multiple murder case filed against three suspects: Kominie Inggo, Dexson Saptula and Abas Anongan. On November 22, 2017, the Public Information Office of

6144-453: The massacre's female victims, Rahima Palawan, Leah Dalmacio, and Cecil Lechonsito, were all devout and peaceful adherents of the Muslim faith, believing that women should not be raped or murdered while exercising the right to free speech. Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur Ampatuan was created out of 23 barrios of Datu Piang on 21 June 1959 by Republic Act No . 2509. On 22 November 1973,

6240-590: The membership of the commission from three to nine members but reduced their term of office from nine years to seven years. As in the 1935 Constitution, the chairman and commissioners have staggered terms of office and could be removed from office only by impeachment. First to serve in the Commission on Elections under the 1973 Constitution were former Senator Leonardo B. Perez , as chairman, and Venacio S. Duque, Flores A. Bayot, Jose M. Mendoza, Fernando R. Veloso, Lininding Pangandaman, Venancio L. Yaneza and Casimiro R. Madarang Jr. as commissioners. Commissioner Pangandaman,

6336-488: The men of Ampatuan Jr. The call was abruptly cut short when Ampatuan Jr. himself apparently pulled her out of the car she was in and slapped her, causing her to drop her cellphone. Gunfire erupted shortly afterwards at around 10:30 am. There is evidence that at least five of the female victims, four of them journalists, were raped before being killed, while "practically all" of the women had been shot in their genitals. Mangudadatu's youngest sister and aunt were both pregnant at

6432-541: The ministerial duties assigned to them by the Election Code. He decided administrative questions concerning elections. The courts, however, exercised exclusive and final jurisdiction over questions affecting the right to vote as well as contested elections of local elective officials. Elections contests involving members of the National Assembly were judged solely by an electoral commission composed of three justices of

6528-440: The municipality of Esperanza was carved out of its territory and was made part of the province of Sultan Kudarat , while Ampatuan itself was made part of Maguindanao , when the old Cotabato province was divided into three provinces on the same date. It further lost territory, when its electorate ratified on 3 January 2004, the separation of ten of its barangays to form the municipality of Datu Abdullah Sangki . The town

6624-567: The operation of the 1973 constitution until January 1986, a few weeks before the People Power Revolution . In August 2007, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla delivered a privilege speech alleging that Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos brokered for the national broadband network (NBN) project. Padilla claimed that Abalos met with officials of the Chinese firm ZTE Corp. , which got the US$ 329 million contract for

6720-442: The power to use the AFP in stifling criticisms and suppressing free speech”. In a separate statement, House Assistant Minority Leader and party-list Rep. France L. Castro called on COMELEC to withdraw its statement, calling the commission hypersensitive to criticisms thrown at it by the populace. The representative stated that citizens are well within their rights to call for "orderly, peaceful and credible elections”. Following

6816-653: The presence of journalists would deter such an attack. On the week he was to file his certificate of candidacy (COC), he requested for security which the PNP Regional Command in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao rejected, perhaps on the behest of regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the perpetrators of the massacre. Because of this, Mangudadatu changed plans; he would not go to Shariff Aguak personally. Rather, he would send an all-women party led by his wife, two sisters, and an aunt with female lawyers, in order to file his COC on his behalf. Some reports suggest he

6912-545: The prosecution rested its case against Datu Andal "Unsay" Ampatuan Jr and 27 other suspects. The prosecutors said at that time that they were not ready to rest their case against 76 other accused due to pending appeals. In August 2014, private prosecutors alleged that state prosecutors were compromising the case in exchange for bribes, saying that some of the state prosecutors were receiving bribes as large as PHP300 million. The Department of Justice issued an official statement where Supervising Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III and

7008-530: The province, Arroyo, as head of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, mediated between the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus (both are from the same party) to prevent election-related violence. Three meetings were held in mid-2009, with one meeting hosted by then- Secretary of National Defense and 2009–2010 party chairman Gilberto Teodoro , who ran to succeed Arroyo as president but was defeated by Noynoy Aquino . Arroyo's adviser for political affairs, Gabriel Claudio, disclosed that there

7104-593: The public not to use the website, warning this could be a phishing site. On April 21, COMELEC apologized for the privacy attacks by the hackers. On April 23, 2022, a few weeks before the 2022 Philippine general election , COMELEC commissioner Rey Bulay threatened with arrest individuals who would publicly state that COMELEC was biased towards a certain candidate or might be involved in election fraud. “Iyon pong nagko-comment ng public opinion na ang Comelec ay may sina-side-an, may kinakampihan, at mandadaya, ako po ay nagwawarning sa inyo, we will not hesitate to call upon

7200-592: The required membership of nine. After the tumultuous February 7, 1986 snap elections and the People Power Revolution , Chairman Savellano and all the commissioners of the COMELEC tendered their courtesy resignations which, except those of Commissioners Bacungan and Felipe, were accepted by President Corazon C. Aquino . On April 11, 1986, Commissioner Felipe was appointed acting chairman. On July 23, 1986, he took his oath of office as permanent chairman, together with Commissioners Leopoldo Africa, Haydee Yorac , Andres Flores, Anacleto Badoy, and Dario Rama as members of

7296-482: The safety of witnesses and relatives of the victims. Senator Joker Arroyo remarked that with nearly 200 defendants and 300 witnesses, the trial could take 200 years. Prosecution lawyer Harry Roque computed that it would last more than 100 years. In a statement commemorating the massacre, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility remarked that the trial was "ongoing, but is rather moving slowly." Andal Ampatuan Sr.

7392-456: The secretary of interior was transferred to the Commission on Elections. The commission was vested with the exclusive charge of enforcing and administering all laws relative to elections and power to decide all questions affecting elections, except those involving the right to vote, which were left to final judicial determination. The courts and electoral tribunals retained their original powers over election contests. The 1973 Constitution enlarged

7488-404: The site at 3:00 pm, more than four hours after the massacre took place. According to the authorities, the attack killed 58 people, including 32 journalists. However, the body of 58th victim was never found. Reporters Without Borders announced that at least 12 of the victims were journalists, making this the deadliest such incident in the history of news media. The National Union of Journalists in

7584-522: The statement by the Comelec. Detained Senator Leila de Lima called the threat by Commissioner Bulay "uncalled for and illegal". She noted that the Armed Force of the Philippines are only allowed to arrest individuals during times of lawless violence while under orders from the Commander-in-Chief . She noted that while COMELEC has expansive powers during an election season, this "does not include

7680-728: The terms start and end on February 2. Among the first appointees in 1987, three members served for seven years (ended in 1994), two others served for five years (ended in 1992), and two others served for three years (ended in 1989). The chairman acts as the presiding officer and chief executive officer of the commission. Assisting the commission are an executive director and deputies, 17 regional election directors, provincial election supervisors and election officers in cities and municipalities. The COMELEC has more than 15,000 employees. The commissioners exercise quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions either en banc or in division. They also perform such other functions as may be assigned by

7776-481: The time of their murders. After the massacre had ended, the perpetrators began burying the victims in three mass graves , which had been dug two days prior using a backhoe emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. A total of 35 bodies were found in these mass graves. Though the perpetrators had intended to bury all of the victims, they were forced to flee after learning that military units were approaching their location. The soldiers arrived at

7872-481: The type or number purchased. At least 198 suspects, including Andal Ampatuan Jr . and Andal Ampatuan Sr . and several other members of the Ampatuan clan, were charged with murder. In April 2010, the government dropped murder charges against Zaldy Ampatuan and Akhmad Ampatuan, who had presented alibis. This led to protests by family members of the victims. Over a decade later, more than 80 of 197 suspects remained at large, including 12 Ampatuans, raising concerns over

7968-458: The vulnerability of both voter registration data and the functionality of their website. LulzSec posts 3 mirror links on their Facebook account that can be downloaded. The incident was considered the biggest private leak data in the Philippine history and leaving millions of registered voters at risk. The sensitive information, which included the full name, complete address, and passport number of at least 55–70 million Filipino registered voters,

8064-498: Was an initial agreement "in principle" that no Mangudadatu would contest Ampatuan Sr.'s governorship. Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu had invited 37 journalists to cover the scheduled filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) provincial office in Shariff Aguak . He said reports had reached him that his rivals had threatened to chop him into pieces once he filed his COC, and felt

8160-485: Was appointed acting chairman of the commission. On January 11, 1999, President Estrada appointed Sandiganbayan Justice Harriet Demetriou as chairman of the commission. After the events of January 17 to 20, 2001 that led to the ouster and resignation of President Estrada from power, Demetriou tendered her courtesy resignation which was accepted by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo . On February 19, 2001, President Arroyo appointed Justice Alfredo Benipayo as chairman of

8256-481: Was appointed by President Aquino as chairman of the commission to serve the unexpired term of Davide. When Monsod retired on February 15, 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Court of Appeals Justice Bernardo Pardo as chairman of the commission. Pardo's term was cut short when he was appointed by President Joseph Estrada as associate justice of the Supreme Court in October 1998. Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco

8352-418: Was arraigned in a special court inside a Manila maximum-security prison on June 1, 2011, 18 months after he and a dozen family members were arrested over the killings. After a court clerk read the names of the 57 victims, he entered a plea of not guilty. As of November 23, 2011, two years after the massacre, only Andal Sr. and his son Andal Jr. had been charged, and some 100 of the 197 persons listed on

8448-416: Was assured the road was safe. The party was supposed to leave for Shariff Aguak at 9 am, but their departure was delayed by security concerns. At 9:30 am, a convoy carrying the journalists, lawyers, and relatives of Mangudadatu left Buluan to file his COC at the COMELEC office in Shariff Aguak . The convoy was composed of seven vehicles: four Toyota Grandia vans (one grey, one green, and two white) owned by

8544-447: Was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. , son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and member of one of Mindanao's leading Muslim political clans, in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election, part of the national elections in 2010 . The people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of

8640-522: Was composed of only five members. On March 21, 1983, two new members were appointed by President Marcos, namely: Froilan Bacungan and Ramon H. Felipe Jr. With the retirement of Chairman Santiago and Commissioners Pabalete and Sagadraca on May 17, 1984, Savellano was appointed chairman. Three new members were appointed on July 27, 1985, namely: Commissioners Quirino A. Marquinez, Mangontawar Guro and Mario D. Ortiz. On January 31, 1986, Commissioners Ruben C. Agpalo and Jaime Layosa were appointed to finally complete

8736-492: Was formally filed before the House of Representatives after Neri, former chief of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), accused Abalos of attempting to bribe him. The commission proper is the policy-making body composed of the chairman and six commissioners who must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines ; at least thirty-five years of age at the time of their appointment; holders of

8832-455: Was leaked publicly on a website called wehaveyourdata , allegedly created by hacker LulzSec Philippines . Anyone who had access to this website could type the first name, surname, and middle name of the compromised registered voters on the search bar provided and the sensitive information would be revealed. The website was taken down by the NBI on April 22. COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez warned

8928-491: Was lifted on December 13, 2009. UNTV-37 arranged a fund-raising concert at the Araneta Coliseum for the families of 32 members of the media who perished in the attack. Philippine Police and soldiers raided several of the Ampatuan family's houses and homes, in Maguindanao's capital, Shariff Aguak, and next to the provincial headquarters, a compound surrounded by concrete walls about two metres (six feet) high and contains

9024-483: Was questioned on why Guo's candidacy was not disputed at the time with the election body stating it cannot on its own or motu proprio question the eligibility of candidates. Someone else has to file a formal petition. Comelec opened its own investigation in July 2024. Guo was removed from office by the Ombudsman over her links to illicit activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). The same still applies for

9120-495: Was relying on an Islamic tradition that women are not to be harmed. For security, he would have media persons from South Cotabato and General Santos join the women and cover the filing of his COC, believing the women were safe under the eyes of media. Hours before the convoy departed, Aquiles Zonio, a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer from General Santos, texted the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division and

9216-462: Was the site of the Maguindanao Massacre on 23 November 2009. The victims were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu , vice mayor of Buluan town for the province's gubernatorial election. Mangudadatu was challenging Andal Ampatuan Jr. (son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. , the mayor of Datu Unsay, and accused of leading the massacre) in

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