Mangudadatu's wife suffered a most painful death - witness

Of the 57 massacre victims, the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu suffered a most painful death, according to a medico-legal officer from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). During Wednesday's resumption of prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr's murder trial, Dr. Ricardo Rodaje, who conducted an autopsy on the body of Genalyn Mangudadatu, said the victim sustained a total of 17 gunshot wounds all over her body. Testifying for the prosecution, Rodaje said the gunshots caused the victim's death, stressing that the manner of the attack indicated that the perpetrators really wanted her dead. "The victim died in a cruel, brutal, and atrocius manner. The shots were intended to kill. She suffered the most painful death," Rodaje said. Apart from Genalyn, Toto's sisters and several lawyers, supporters, and 32 journalists were massacred in Maguindanao province last November 23 in what is considered as the worst election-related violence in the country. The killing, which happened at Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town, was blamed on Andal Jr. and his clan's supposed private army. In addition to the gunshot wounds, Rodaje said he also found three lacerations on Genalyn's groin and below her abdomen. He, however, quickly stressed that there was no sign that she had been sexually assaulted. Conclusion out of 'memory' Defense lawyer Sigfrid Fortun questioned Rodaje's expertise, saying the doctor seemed to have been making conclusion out of "memory" and could not even cite any author of any medical book in which he [Rodaje] said he based his observation of Genalyn's body. Fortun also blasted Rodaje and the NBI for letting embalmers throw away Genalyn's clothing, a piece of evidence that Fortun said could help shed light on who inflicted the lacerations. "Pero foul-smelling na po kasi ang mga damit... at embalsamador ang nagtapon (It was the embalmers who threw the clothing because it had already a foul smell)," Rodaje said. The hearing, conducted inside the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame, lasted a little under six hours, with the prosecution presenting two witnesses in the persons of Rodaje and before him, Toto - who admitted that his clan too, like the Ampatuans, was "politically entrenched and strong." Toto said his sworn statements were based on his last conversation with his wife, accounts of his relatives and the military, and video footage taken at the massacre site. During the hearing, Toto also said he is planning to file charges against the military and the police for failing to give security to the convoy that his wife was in. The hearing ended at 1:45 p.m. and will resume on February 10. The prosecution said they are set to present three witnesses on that day. - RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV