Yeah, turns out the government armed them and used them to fix elections and then cut 'em loose and framed 'em when they were no longer useful. That's my take. Why would they butcher people when they could have fixed elections as they had done for so long?
CUI BONO?
"Nearly 200 charged in Philippines massacre; Clan is alleged to have shot political rivals, supporters" by Oliver Teves, Associated Press | February 10, 2010
MANILA - Philippine prosecutors filed charges yesterday against the head of a powerful clan and 195 others in the biggest and deadliest murder case since the country’s World War II war crimes trials.
The indictment said Andal Ampatuan Sr. and the others were part of a conspiracy to ambush and kill members of the rival Mangudadatu family and supporters, who were gunned down Nov. 23 on a hilltop in Maguindanao Province.
There are no conspiracies save 19 Arabs from a cave in Afghanistan -- and the global-warming lie.
In all, 57 people died in the massacre apparently to prevent Esmael Mangudadatu from challenging the Ampatuans’ control of the province in a gubernatorial election.
Does that make sense to you? Over a frikkin' election?
Among those killed were 30 journalists and their staff who were to cover the filing of Mangudadatu’s candidacy papers.
Why the MSM is sticking with it. Nothing else happening in the Philippines at all, huh, AmeriKan MSM?
The massacre was unprecedented even for the country notorious for election violence and political killings that have claimed hundreds of lives this decade. Only the war crime trials of World War II Japanese commanders in the Philippines involved higher numbers of victims.
“I would say it is the biggest [trial] since the war, but I would even say in Philippine history because I don’t put this in the same category of wars or those political crimes where you talk of numbers of victims,’’ said Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.
“Legally, it will take a little while because every accused has a right,’’ she said.
Mangudadatu, who said he had received death threats from the Ampatuans, sent his wife and other female relatives and supporters to the provincial capital in the hope that his rival would not harm the women.
Anyone could leave death threats -- especially false-flag frame-ups by government agents.
Before yesterday’s indictment, only the patriarch’s son, Andal Ampatuan Jr., had been formally charged.
“From the witnesses presented . . . it can be deduced that the commission of the crime was planned deliberately by the perpetrators and that, until its consummation, there was an inexorable resolve to kill,’’ the indictment document said. “Consequently, their plan was carried out leading to the mass murder.’’
Andal Ampatuan Jr. has pleaded not guilty and is seeking bail.
No date has been set for the arraignment of his father, brothers, and the others accused.
The 69-year-old clan patriarch, an ally of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has denied any involvement and said the charges have been fabricated.
Yeah, nothing about the GOVERNMENT ARMING THEM or the POLITICAL ALLIANCE until this event.
WHY LEAVE THAT OUT, MSM?
One starts to see the old man's point, no?
--more--"
