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Maguindanao massacre victims’ kin: PCSO practiced favoritism


The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) allegedly practiced “favoritism" in giving financial assistance to families of victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. While a group of massacre victims’ kin lauded the PCSO under the Arroyo administration for pledging P5-million in cash assistance, some of them are disappointed that only the families of the 32 media workers were able to get their shares. A total of 57 people were killed in the carnage on November 23, 2009 in Maguindanao. A 58th victim is still missing. Moreover, the group of families of non-media-worker victims observed that those who didn't get a share allegedly did not campaign for President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in the May 2010 presidential polls. GMA News Online obtained copies of the series of email exchanges between the PCSO and the lawyer of some of the families of the massacre victims. In a letter forwarded to the then newly appointed PCSO chairperson Margarita "Margie" Juico on September 9, 2010, lawyer Nena Santos, legal counsel for Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu and families of 24 other non-media-worker victims, requested an audience with the PCSO to seek among others the financial assistance from the agency as promised to them under the Arroyo government. Santos' letter was endorsed to Juico by a certain Rene Royeca (a go-between), who tried convincing the PCSO chairman through email to grant Santos' request, especially since "the Mangudadatus supported the candidacy of Noynoy [sic] and won in a big way in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, both their regions." In an email reply sent two hours later, Juico seemed reluctant on giving any assistance to the Mangudadatu group and the families of the non-media-worker victims, saying their names were not on the "list." "From the [May 2010 presidential] campaign, we got the number 32 as the recipients of assistance. We are not entertaining those who already got from the previous administration," said Juico in her reply. "We only have 32 in the list mostly from the journalists with them, the bystanders, etc. Those who already got from the Arroyo government are not getting any more from PCSO," she added. Santos admitted being baffled by Juico's email response. The non-media-worker victims include 17 relatives and supporters of Mangudadatu, six innocent passersby, and two lawyers – Connie Brizuela and Cynthia Oquendo. "I don’t know the reason why they excluded us, but I guess, they wanted more to appease the media group than us," Santos said in a September 11, 2010 email message to “go-between" Rene Royeca. As it turned out, Juico told GMA News Online that the list that was in her hands at the time was only passed down to her from the previous PCSO board. Santos said she knew her camp could not expect any help from the Arroyo administration. "I understand why the previous government excluded us in the list. we were the ones who stood against the Arroyo government to have these cases filed against the Ampatuans et. al. despite the grand design to cover up," she said. "If only given the chance to see PNoy, we can narrate to him how we fought the previous administration [of Arroyo]," Santos told Royeca in that Sept. 11 email message. Meanwhile, a reliable source from the camp of the non-media-worker victims said among those who had gotten their share of the P5-million assistance "supported" President Aquino's bid for the presidency. The source said that, too, could have been a factor why they got their shares first. To recall, Myrna Reblando, widow of slain journalist Alejandro Reblando of the Manila Bulletin, was a vocal and staunch supporter of Aquino, and even appeared on a TV ad campaign for him. The source went further claiming that the same families of the "media victims" later got a second round of financial assistance, on top of their shares in the P5 million funds from PCSO. The source said they did not want to appear to be only after monetary compensation, stressing that no amount of money could replace the lives of their slain loved ones. The source however said the "discrimination" displayed by Juico seemed to reflect the priorities of the entire Aquino administration in relation to the Maguindanao massacre and how is favoring one faction over the other. However, Juico denied that the May 2010 elections and the media families' political leanings had something to do with their getting their share ahead of the other victims' families. "I am not aware of whether they campaigned or not. We did not ask them their political persuasion [when we distributed the assistance]," she said. Juico is currently hogging headlines for her exposé on PCSO funds being used for political patronage during the Gloria Arroyo administration, including giving "kickbacks" to Arroyo's "friends in the media" in the form commissions from ad placements, as well as gifting several bishops with luxurious vehicles to get the Catholic Church's support. Former PCSO officials hit back at Juico and accused her group of manipulating data presented at the Senate probe and benefiting also from "kickbacks." Aquino steps in Last Thursday, Atty. Santos, the Mangudadatus, and other non-media-worker victims’ families saw some silver-lining after securing an audience with Aquino at Malacañang. Apart from ensuring that the government would do everything "humanely possible" to give justice to the massacre victims, Aquino also promised to release to them their share in the P5-million financial assistance. "He ordered PCSO to give to the families of non-media-worker victims who were not yet given their share of the P5 million previously allotted for the relatives or next of kin of the 57 massacre victims who were left out as the media-workers families were given twice," Santos said. Aquino also ordered the government to extend "non-cash assistance" to families of all massacre victims. The assistance included among others police protection, relocation of the families, and change of work area for relatives working in government, as well as linkages with non-government organizations for further educational and medical assistance. Verification Juico confirmed to GMA News Online that families of media-worker victims indeed were the first and so far the only ones to get their share of the P5-million assistance. "As per ex-DOJ Sec. [Alberto Agra] a resolution was filed for P5 million to be given to media killed in Maguindanao [during the Arroyo administration]. This was not implemented. When we [in the Aquino administration] came in, we gave to the families," she said. As for the families of the non-media-worker victims, the PCSO chief her office is still "verifying" them. "As soon as this is done, then we will make a resolution for its implementation," she said. The massacre The Maguindanao massacre was allegedly the handiwork of prominent members of the Ampatuan clan to stop Mangudadatu, then gubernatorial candidate, from challenging the powerful clan in the May 2010 elections. After receiving information that the Ampatuans intended to kill him if he files his certificate of candidacy in the Ampatuan stronghold of Shariff Aguak, Mangudadatu eventually decided to send his wife, two sisters, and other female supporters to do the job on his behalf. Mangudadatu, at the time, was hoping the group would not be attacked because they were mainly composed of women, who are well respected under Muslim traditions. Mangudadatu was proven wrong as all members of the convoy and several other chance motorists were brutally shot dead allegedly by Ampatuan clan members and members of their supposed private army. A total of 197 individuals, including prominent members of the Ampatuan clan ended up facing 57 counts of murder. Subsequently, families of massacre victims filed a separate case of plunder before the Ombudsman and a complaint before the Anti-Money Laundering Commission. The Ampatuans assets were frozen until December by the government as a result, while investigations are ongoing. — LBG, GMA News

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