Mangudadatu beefs up security amid threats

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, whose wife and sisters were among the Ampatuan massacre victims, said he has beefed up his security after having received "serious" death threats recently. Radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad reported on Friday that Mangudadatu suspects members of the Ampatuan clan to be behind the threats. The Ampatuans are said to be behind the Ampatuan massacre in November last year. Mangudadatu did not elaborate on the threats, which he said he did not take too seriously at first. He also cited information reaching him indicating members of the Ampatuan clan are allegedly linked to recent criminal activities in Maguindanao, including the kidnapping of two Chinese traders. The Maguindanao or Ampatuan massacre (named after the town where the mass graves were found), occurred on November 23, 2009. The victims were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for Mangudadatu, then vice-mayor of Buluan town. He was going up against Andal Ampatuan Jr., former mayor of Datu Unsay town, for the position of Maguindanao governor. The 57 victims were kidnapped before they were brutally killed. The 57 people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy. –VVP, GMANews.TV