Tracing back the Ampatuan Massacre Story

Before the Quirino grandstand hostage taking, there was one event that brought frenzy in every media organizations around the world – The Ampatuan Massacre.

On the 23rd day of November 2009, a convoy with the Mangudadatu political clan along with more than a dozen of journalists were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu. However, they were kidnapped by a group of people alledgely under the leadership of Andal Ampatuan Jr.

According to a Wikipedia article, “The 57 people killed including Mangudadatu’s wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.”.

The trial for the case against the Ampatuan clan along with several people totalling almost 200 has just started. They are facing charges related to the massacre.