Palace hopes Agra ruling reversal on Ampatuans gives relief to victims' kin

Malacañang on Wednesday expressed hope that the decision of Justice Secretary Alberto Agra to reverse his ruling which cleared two members of the powerful Ampatuan clan from involvement in the murder of 57 people in Maguindanao last year, would provide some relief to the families of the victims. “This must satisfy [Agra's] critics but more importantly this development must be a relief to the feelings of the families of the victims," said deputy spokesman Rogelio Peyuan. Agra drew a sudden barrage of flak after he excluded Zaldy Ampatuan, governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and Akhmad Ampatuan, mayor of Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, from the charge sheet in connection with the November 30 Maguindanao massacre. (See: Kin of slain journalists say Agra ruling 'null and void') The justice secretary reversed his own ruling on Wednesday, saying that he reviewed the motion for reconsideration filed by private prosecutors and found "probable cause" to indict the two. (See: Agra reverses ruling on Maguindanao massacre suspects) The reversal came some two weeks after Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza ordered the Justice chief to confer with prosecutors to determine if any important evidence had been overlooked when his controversial ruling was made. Deputy presidential spokeman Gary Olivar denied pressuring Agra and said the reversal was based on factual evidence, even as he said that Agra's move was already expected as new evidence and new witnesses have been presented. “Secretary Agra was simply being consistent with his earlier avowals that his decisions are based only on facts and the law, as they should be. New facts, new decision—this is natural and reasonable," Olivar said.—Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV