Senate resolution seeking probe on Maguindanao massacre filed

Two senators on Wednesday filed a resolution urging the Senate to investigate and condemn in the strongest possible terms the massacre of at least 52 people in Maguindanao on Monday. In Senate Resolution 1491, Senators Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and Manuel Roxas II urged the Senate to conduct an inquiry into the "unparalleled and gruesome" incident, so that the chamber couild propose legislative measures to promote lasting peace and prosperity in Mindanao. Aquino and Roxas are the presidential and vice presidential bet, respectively, of the Liberal Party in the coming 2010 polls. Among the 52 people killed in the November 23 massacre were Vice Mayor Bae Eden Mangudadatu, Genalyn Mangudadatu (wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu), at least a dozen members of the media and other civilians. They were on their way to the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao for the filing of Toto Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor. What makes the attack vicious and barbaric was that the victims were unarmed, the senators said, adding that major newspapers consider the incident as the "first political mass murder of the election season." Aquino and Roxas were also appalled by the massacre because the victims, mostly journalists and women, believed they were safe based on Koranic prescription to spare women from such violence. "Such an act of cruelty is a crime against the very idea of humanity, transcending geographic boundaries and further soiling the reputation of the country in the international community," they said. In a separate press statement, Aquino said his heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones and pleaded with them to remain steadfast in their faith. "These cold-blooded murderers will be brought to justice. I commiserate with Toto Mangudadatu and his family, and to all the relatives of the victims whose lives were taken away by an act guided by neither ideology nor humanity," Aquino said. He added that there must be an immediate disarmament of all armed groups in Maguindanao and witnesses must be provided a secure environment so they fearlessly help in bringing the perpetrators to justice. “This is my plea to all peace-loving Filipinos: It is not enough to condemn these killings; we must work together to bring an end to the violence that is maiming the process of peace, democracy, and progress in Mindanao and all throughout the country," he said. “The cycle of electoral violence can only be broken by justice and the fulfilled promise of security and equal opportunity for all," Aquino added. - LG/RSJ, GMANews.TV