Philippines: Supreme Court upholds indictment of Zaldy Ampatuan

Source: IFEX

(CMFR/IFEX) - 12 July 2012 - The Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the indictment of former Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan in the Ampatuan (Maguindanao) Massacre last 25 June 2012.

The Supreme Court's Third Division said in a 25 June 2012 resolution (G.R. no. 201511) that Ampatuan "failed to show that the Court of Appeals committed any reversible error in affirming the May 5, 2010 resolution of the Department of Justice . . . " The division was headed by Justice Diosdado Peralta.

Last November 2011, the Special (Former) 11th Division of the Manila Court of Appeals (CA) upheld the 5 May 2010 reinstatement of Zaldy Ampatuan as one of the accused persons in the Ampatuan Massacre multiple murder case.

In a 5 May 2010 resolution, former acting Justice Sec. Alberto Agra reversed his 16 April 2010 decision dropping Zaldy and his uncle Akmad "Tato" Ampatuan Sr. from the list of accused perpetrators of the Ampatuan Massacre.

Both Zaldy and Tato questioned their reinstatement in the higher courts, which had resulted in the postponement of their arraignment. Tato's petition for certiorari was junked by the Manila CA's former 16th Division last August 2011. The CA affirmed its decision on Tato's petition last 3 January 2012.