Promotion of Army general in Maguindanao massacre case opposed

Families of some of the journalists who were killed in the November 23 massacre in Maguindanao province have contested the promotion given to the military official who denied the victims’ request for security escorts. The families, represented by lawyer Harry Roque, formally filed their opposition to the promotion of Army Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton with the Commission on Appointments (CA) Tuesday. “Wala siyang karapatang ma-promote kasi noong panahon na hiningan siya ng escort, nag-refuse siya. Pagkatapos yun ang nangyari, minasaker na yung convoy. Io-oppose namin ang promotion na yun," said Monet Salaysay, widow of Mindanao Gazette's Napoleon Salaysay who was one of the 31 journalists killed in the massacre. (He doesn’t deserve to be promoted. His refusal to provide security escorts to the convoy resulted to the massacre. We will oppose his promotion.) Juliet Evardo, mother of UNTV cameraman Julito Evardo, could not hide her exasperation over Cayton’s promotion. “Nagalit ako nang malaman ko nai-promote siya. Bakit nyo ipo-promote yung tao na yun na siya ang may responsibilidad, hindi sana sila nangamatay, yung mga mahal namin sa buhay kung binigyan niya ng escort," she said. (I was angered by his promotion. Why would someone who was partly responsible for the death of our loved ones be promoted?) Salaysay and Evardo along with relatives of other slain journalists accompanied Roque in filing their opposition. GMANews.TV tried contacting Cayton for his comments, but calls to his phone were unanswered. Relieved then cleared Cayton and Col. Medardo Geslani were relieved from their posts as commanders of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and 601st Brigade, respectively, for denying the security requests. They both underwent an investigation but were cleared by a military board. The board sided with the two officials' claim that the request was turned down because of the limited number of available foot soldiers. In clearing Cayton and Geslani, military probers said the Armed Forces is not inclined to protect politicians as part of its mandate to remain apolitical. Cayton was appointed vice commander of the Philippine Army last week following the recommendation of the Armed Forces’ Board of Generals. He is due to retire on February 14 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56. Intel report Roque said based on the affidavits of the witnesses submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Cayton had received intelligence reports that the convoy carrying the relatives of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael “Toto" Mangudadatu would be ambushed in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. "And yet despite these confirmed information, General Cayton did not take steps to prevent the massacre, which took place within his area of responsibility," Roque said. The Mangudadatus are political rivals of the powerful Ampatuan clan, whose members are being blamed for the carnage. Roque noted that the convoy, which was on its way to the provincial capitol of Shariff Aguak to file the documents for Toto’s gubernatorial candidacy, happened "just a stone’s throw away from a military detachment." Cayton’s inaction was tantamount to complicity that should make him equally responsible for the massacre, Roque said, adding that the Army official should be held responsible on the basis of command responsibility. "His incredible lack of concern about the brewing tension in his area of responsibility was simply inexcusable, if it was not beyond explanation," he said. - KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV