In Maguindanao, the Ampatuan name was the law.
The family has ruled the province since the 1970s and gained dominance when its late patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. won as governor in 2000.
Since then, five towns have been named under Ampatuan Sr.’s family including Shariff Aguak, his father.
But how did the family, known to have private armies and running the entire province come up with the plan to kill then Buluan town vice mayor Esmael Toto Mangudadatu?
Prosecution documents showed that it took four months for the Ampatuan family to plan the gruesome massacre.
Sukarno Badal, one of the prosecution’s key witnesses, testified that he was present when family patriarch Ampatuan Sr. met with his relatives and advisers on July 20, 2009, to kill Mangudadatu.
The Mangudadatus and Ampatuans used to be political allies but Toto decided to run against Ampatuan Sr.’s son, Unsay Ampatuan Jr.
Witnesses said that everything was set on November 23 with armed groups were guarding the checkpoints in Ampatuan town.
However, their target Mangudadatu did not show up in the convoy which was set to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) on that day.
Mangudadatu told the court that they have decided to send his wife and other female relatives knowing that the Ampatuans will not harm women in accordance with the Muslim culture.
This did not happen because the Ampatuans proceeded with the ambush and killed 58 people including 32 journalists.
