The 2010 Presidentiables speak out on Maguindanao Massacre

Presidential candidates in the 2010 national elections condemned on Tuesday the Maguindanao massacre in which 43 persons were killed, including several journalists, a lady politician and two lawyers last Monday.

SENATOR BENIGNO AQUINO III

“We must unite ourselves in order to put an end to these killings,” Aquino said, standard bearer of the Liberal Party (LP).

Aquino said that the country’s new set of leaders should focus their efforts in curbing the worsening peace and order problem in Mindanao.

He emphasized that only by good governance can the government authorities reverse the situation in many areas of Mindanao that are often fazed with problems on rebellion, terrorism and other criminal activities.

HERMOGENES EBDANE

“The perpetrators must account for this brazen crime, and the government should do no less. Whoever is responsible for this gruesome act should be pursued endlessly and brought to justice,” Ebdane said.

Ebdane, standard bearer of Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM), also called for the immediate relief of all PNP officials in the province and the suspension of operational control by local executives over the police in the province following the massacre.

Ebdane said that he is starting a legal fund for the members of the media who were among those killed. As a personal commitment,

Ebdane is contributing P500,000 from his personal fund to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. “I invite all presidential candidates to contribute to this fund.”

GILBERT TEODORO

Teodoro urged government authorities to arrest the perpetrators whoever they may be of the mass murder in Maguindanao province.

“This goes beyond political alliances,’’ said Teodoro, standard bearer of Lakas-Kampi-CMD. He called for the arrest of Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the Maguindanao governor’s son, to face an impartial investigation for alleged complicity in the mass murder.

Teodoro also called for the disarming of “all non-governmental armed groups in the area” and an adequate security presence by the Armed Forces and the Police to prevent the incident from recurring.

BRO. EDDIE VILLANUEVA

Villanueva, standard bearer of Bangon Pilipinas Party, called on authorities to immediately put a stop to violence.

“If the Maguindanao massacre will not be immediately given attention, it might set a ruthless and shameless precedent not only for the local elections but also for the national,” said Villanueva in a statement.

The former human rights activist- turned-religious leader said what happened in Maguindanao is but a symptom of the lawlessness that prevails in the country today.

“This must be stopped immediately by the authorities who are in charge. Massacres should not define the 2010 elections,” Villanueva said.

SENATOR MANNY VILLAR JR.

The Nationalista Party headed by its standard bearer Senator Manny Villar and his running mate Senator Loren Legarda expressed outrage over the massacre and called on the Arroyo government to take a swift and decisive action to resolve the incident.

NP Spokesman Adel Tamano said the next two days will be a supreme test whether this government is capable of containing the volatile situation even he urged that perpetrators be immediately arrested and give justice to the victims.

“As a Moslem and as a party member we condemned what happened, and we call the national government to find the perpetuators and give justice to the victims, Tamano said in a press briefing late yesterday afternoon.

source