Mangudadatu wants ARMM governor slapped with DILG sanctions
12/02/2009 | 06:05 AM
Buluan town mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu on Tuesday urged the government to sanction Zaldy Ampatuan, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, for his alleged “failure" to protect the rights of the victims of the now-infamous Ampatuan, Maguindanao massacre.
In his sworn letter-complaint submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Government, Mangudadatu said the killing of 57 people, his sisters and aunt, some 30 journalists and two women lawyers, has sparked outrage among various groups in the country.
“(The) gruesome murders of more than fifty persons…in Maguindanao have resulted in numerous complaints and protests from civic, religious and political groups and non-governmental organizations against the leadership of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the evident failure to protect the civil, human and political rights of the victims," the complaint read.
Ibrahim is the brother of Buluan vice mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, whose wife and sisters were killed in the carnage.
The victims were part of the convoy led by Toto's wife, Genalyn, who were on their way to register her husband as gubernatorial candidate for Maguindanao last November 23. They were abducted and killed on the same day by gunmen allegedly working for the Ampatuans.
Maguindanao, where the massacre took place, is one of the five provinces that comprise ARMM.
Mangudadatu pointed out that under the law President Arroyo can suspend or remove Gov. Ampatuan “for willful violation of the Constitution, the Organic Act or any existing law that applies to the autonomous region, and to suspend, reduce or cancel the financial blocks or grants-in-aid, funds for infrastructure, and other forms of assistance intended for the autonomous region."
The letter was addressed to Interior and Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who, in response, ordered for an immediate evaluation of the complaint.
“I have directed the DILG legal service to immediately submit its recommendations on the complaint filed by Mayor Mangudadatu within 24 hours," he said in a statement.
For his part, Ampatuan appealed to Puno and to other administration officials to hear their family’s side first before imposing any sanctions on him and his family.
President Arroyo last week gave Puno the "full powers of supervision" over the ARMM, which allows him to suspend government officials in the region. [See: Fate of Maguindanao execs depends on Puno]
In line with this, Puno created a special task force headed by Undersecretary for Public Safety Marius Corpus to assist him in supervising ARMM.
Puno also asked the Ampatuans to immediately furnish the DILG with copies of the region's financial report from the fourth quarter of 2008 up to present.
He also asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to clear with the DILG all future fund releases in the region, even as he asked the DBM to assist the DILG in conducting a performance review of the Office of the ARMM Regional Governor.
Puno likewise asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit of the ARMM’s special funds and subsidies for this year, and furnish the DILG a copy of its report on the autonomous region for 2008.
He also requested the Civil Service Commission to help the DILG in carrying out a personnel audit of the Office of the ARMM Regional Governor. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV
In his sworn letter-complaint submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Government, Mangudadatu said the killing of 57 people, his sisters and aunt, some 30 journalists and two women lawyers, has sparked outrage among various groups in the country.
“(The) gruesome murders of more than fifty persons…in Maguindanao have resulted in numerous complaints and protests from civic, religious and political groups and non-governmental organizations against the leadership of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the evident failure to protect the civil, human and political rights of the victims," the complaint read.
Ibrahim is the brother of Buluan vice mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, whose wife and sisters were killed in the carnage.
The victims were part of the convoy led by Toto's wife, Genalyn, who were on their way to register her husband as gubernatorial candidate for Maguindanao last November 23. They were abducted and killed on the same day by gunmen allegedly working for the Ampatuans.
Maguindanao, where the massacre took place, is one of the five provinces that comprise ARMM.
Mangudadatu pointed out that under the law President Arroyo can suspend or remove Gov. Ampatuan “for willful violation of the Constitution, the Organic Act or any existing law that applies to the autonomous region, and to suspend, reduce or cancel the financial blocks or grants-in-aid, funds for infrastructure, and other forms of assistance intended for the autonomous region."
The letter was addressed to Interior and Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who, in response, ordered for an immediate evaluation of the complaint.
“I have directed the DILG legal service to immediately submit its recommendations on the complaint filed by Mayor Mangudadatu within 24 hours," he said in a statement.
For his part, Ampatuan appealed to Puno and to other administration officials to hear their family’s side first before imposing any sanctions on him and his family.
President Arroyo last week gave Puno the "full powers of supervision" over the ARMM, which allows him to suspend government officials in the region. [See: Fate of Maguindanao execs depends on Puno]
In line with this, Puno created a special task force headed by Undersecretary for Public Safety Marius Corpus to assist him in supervising ARMM.
Puno also asked the Ampatuans to immediately furnish the DILG with copies of the region's financial report from the fourth quarter of 2008 up to present.
He also asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to clear with the DILG all future fund releases in the region, even as he asked the DBM to assist the DILG in conducting a performance review of the Office of the ARMM Regional Governor.
Puno likewise asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit of the ARMM’s special funds and subsidies for this year, and furnish the DILG a copy of its report on the autonomous region for 2008.
He also requested the Civil Service Commission to help the DILG in carrying out a personnel audit of the Office of the ARMM Regional Governor. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV
