JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday appealed for understanding from various sectors for the seemingly slow proceedings in connection with the gruesome Maguindanao massacre case which claimed the lives of 58 individuals, including 32 journalists.
In an interview with reporters, de Lima assured that government prosecutors are doing their duty in order to speed up the trial of the 197 accused led by former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Zaldy Ampatuan, former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
De Lima made the remarks in response to criticisms of various media groups and the relatives of the victims on the slow pace of the case.
“I don’t blame them for spousing that thought dahil nababagalan sila, pero paulit-ulit kong sinasabi sa part ng prosecution hindi kami nagkukulang and paulit-ulit ko sinasabi na intindihin nila kung gaano ka-complex ang kaso which explains the delay,” de Lima said.
She noted that the Ampatuan Massacre case involves 58 victims, 197 accused, 147 prosecution witnesses and 300 defense witnesses.
Despite of this, de Lima said the wheels of justice is moving for the victims and that Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Branch 221 of the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City, who is handling the massacre case, as well as the prosecution are all trying their best to speedup the proceedings.
“Kanya kanyang pananaw iyan lalo na iyong mga hindi nakakaintindi sa legal processess, easy to look at the case from the outside na hanapan pagkukulang ung mga nagha-handle, pero kung tignan mo ang overview ng kaso, kung alam lang nila gaano karami ang witnesses na ipinrisenta, malalaman nila kung bakit [mabagal ang takbo ng kaso],” de Lima added.
The Ampatuan Massacre happened on November 23, 2009, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.
Earlier, de Lima said the government is hoping to secure the conviction of the principal accused before the end of President Aquino’s term in 2016. Two of the 197 accused—Police Officer 2 Hernanie Decipulo and Sukarno Badal, died while in detention while another accused Johan Drapper was dropped from the complaints.
Out of the remaining 194 accused, 106 are now detained while 88 are still at large.