THE DAUGHTER of the 58th victim of the Maguindanao Massacre says she was saddened by the not guilty plea entered by 78 of the suspects who were arraigned for her father’s murder, but said that, as before, patience and persistence will carry her family through.
Reynafe Momay-Castillo, the daughter of Sultan Kudarat photojournalist Reynaldo Momay, made the statement following the arraignment of 78 suspects in her father’s murder yesterday. Castillo is currently in another country where she has been working since last year.
Momay was formally recognized as the 58th Maguindanao Massacre victim last year, after a wait of three years by the Momay family. This was because Momay’s body has never been found, although some of his personal effects such as dentures were found in the crime scene. Under Philippine law, families may have to wait up to three or four years before a missing relative is declared legally dead.
On Friday, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court arraigned former Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao Governor Zaldy Ampataun, his brother Andal Ampatuan Jr., and 76 others for the murder of Momay. Clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. was able to evade arraignment because of pending motions before the court.
“I was deeply saddened by the recent news that 78 of the arraigned suspects in the killing of my father have pleaded “NOT GUILTY” before the court. While I expected this move from them, it is still alarming to realize that these accused have been trying to escape from the rule of law as they pleaded the same thing to the 57 victims of the Ampatuan-Maguindanao massacre. I wish I was there to look at their faces and eyes as they filed their plea,” Castillo said in a statement she posted on her Facebook wall.
Castillo stressed that persistence was the key to the inclusion of her father’s case in the main case for the Maguindanao Massacre. She said it took almost three years of hard work to get government to include her father in the case.
“It took our family 32 months of waiting before the court has officially recognized my father as the 58th victim of the gruesome killing and 42 months before the arraignment of suspects took place. While it was long overdue, I did not stop pursuing the case against the suspects,” Castillo said.
“Patience is a virtue of justice. In God’s own time and perfect timing, I still believe that justice will be served for the 58. They will have justice here on earth and in heaven. God sees the hearts and tears of the widows and orphans and thus He will answer their prayers. It’s a promise, and I will claim that promise until the end,” she added.