Fr. Jun Mercado on Andal Ampatuan Sr

Ex-Gov. Datu
Andal Ampatuan, Sr. of the former town of Maganoy and the Province of
Maguindanao

The death of
the clan patriarch, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr. brings mix feelings for the people
of Maguindanao, including myself who has lived in the province for almost 41
years.

First, we
extend our condolences to the Ampatuan Clan for the passing of the old man.

Second, we
cannot but take some time to look at the man - shaped by the politics and
traditions of the province.

Third, people
outside of Maguindanao would remember name for that Massacre in Barangay
Salman, in the town of Ampatuan.

I had known
the man since 1982 (or earlier when I had a fleeting moment with the man in
1976). He was then a Vice Mayor of Maganoy but acting as the power behind the
Mayor who was ailing at that time. No doubt, he had the control of the whole
Municipality of Maganoy (now subdivided into Sharif Aguak, Datu Unsay,
Mamasapano and Datu Hofer municipalities).

The Ampatuan
Politics then were aligned to President Marcos... or perhaps the more accurate
way of saying was the fact that the Ampatuan Clan had always aligned themselves
to Government from the time of the American to the time of Datu Andal.

President
Marcos and the AFP used the man and the loyalty of the clan to the government versus
the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and later against the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF). The rebels at that time control, more or less, the
present Municipality of Mamasapano - meaning from Libutan all the way to the
old site of Maganoy Town. Datu Andal and his government-sanctioned militias
(then BSDU, CDF, ICDF, CAFGU, etc.) served as the buffer between
the government troops and the rebels. He and his men were the 'front liners' in
this battle.

There was no
doubt about the COURAGE and BRAVERY of Datu Andal. I had witnessed this valor,
first hand when the town of Maganoy was surrounded by the MILF rebels for a
takeover and siege in 1983 and in 1984, when all the people of the poblacion
evacuated to nearby areas of Ampatuan and Datu Piang for safety... I thought it
would be the final showdown between the MILF forces and Datu Andal. He withdrew
to his hill side fortification... and I was almost the last man to evacuate to
safety... just minutes before the fire fight.

No doubt that
the arms and ammunition of the Datu Andal were provided by the then PC Command
and the AFP. Datu Andal and his men defended the town and his turf... and when
the MILF were not able to achieve its goal, they retreated to the now
Mamasapano Municipality then centered in Libutan and Linantangan.

The 'victory'
of Datu Andal in this contest between government (Maganoy and Province), on the
one hand and the MILF, on the other established not only the prestige of the
man but also his loyalty to government beyond question. Henceforth, all
government and military operations against the rebels in the upper river of
Cotabato would be coordinated with the man. He had established himself as the
real ‘paramount lord' of the Upper River of the Province of Maguindanao. It
would be noted that the Provincial Capital of the Province at this time was
moved to Maganoy - beyond the Maganoy Hospital - about 2 or 3 kilometers away
from the main highway.

I had three
early associations with the old man... one friendly, the other hostile, and the
third an attempt to reconciliation. These three formed a lifetime association
through thick and thin... notwithstanding the tragedy now known as the
Maguindanao Massacre.

The first one
that was friendly is linked to the education of his sons. The first time, his
son went to Notre Dame of Dulawan, I served as mentor and tutor. They were NOT
from the place, so the power that went with the name was NOT there although
their mother (UY) is from Dulawan, I got really close to the sons, particularly
to Datu Zaldy aka as Datu Puti who became ARMM Governor for two terms. I stood
as sponsors to the weddings of his sons... And people in the place had known
that they were like sons to me notwithstanding their later 'notoriety'. In many
ways, I became a second 'ama'... and for this Datu Andal was happy and became
very respectful to me... though our relations were at a distance (since I was
known as anti Martial Law and very critical of the Military and their
operations in the Province of Maguindanao).
The second
was a hostile relation... It happened in 1986 Snap Elections. I was the NAMFREL
Chair of the Provonce. And to become chair for clean and honest elections in
Maguindanao at that time, you must be a real BELIEVER and a fanatic akin to
being Don Quixote!

Datu Andal
and all the powers of the Ampatuan clan was set for a Marcos win that would
give Cory (Aquino) ZERO! I caught this in action and stopped the man and this
attempt right at the Central Pilot School... I did NOT blinked and he did...
This was recorded... thus at the actual canvassing in the Provincial Capitol in
Maganoy, Cory's men - then Zacarias Candao and Didagen Dilangalen had asked me
and my NAMFREL troops to served as buffer zone between their men coming from
Cotabato City and Datu Andal with all the public officials and militias on the
other hand. We served as buffer zone... and Datu Andal respected mine and our
presence during the canvassing... I supposed, this was because I was a mentor
and tutor to his sons. He was the acting Mayor then!

The third one
was conciliatory one. With the victory of Cory as the new president, all the
LGU Mayors and Governors were changed under the revolutionary government. I
told him that he would be changed ... and had asked him... to cushion the
impact on the Ampatuan Clan, his brother, Datu Moddin, who then was Chief of
Police in Maganoy and almost apolitical - would be appointed as OIC... He said
yes to this arrangement... and we became personal friends and our mutual
respect increased...

When we speak
of Datu Andal, we should not separate him from the cultural matrix that was
prevalent then and now to the Province of Maguindanao. Datu Andal was a Datu, a
WARLORD, and a LOYAL fighter for Government through thick and thin. I heard him
give instructions to his children... always side with government and the
military.. I thought this was borne of the experience from the time of
the Americans that you would never emerge victorious when you are at war with
government and the military. This was the reason that the man was always with
the side of Government and the military all his life. He would always be at the
side of Malacanang (for good or bad)!

There were
only two instances that I witnessed when the Province was under a consolidated
rule of strong men.

The first one
was during the time of Datu Udtog Matalam (the first time I came to Cotabato in
1965) and the second time was during the 10-year rule of Datu Andal Ampatuan..
Both settled family squabbles, including divorce and property settlements they
buried the dead of their constituents gave alms to the poor paid for the
hospitalizations of their sakop” (followers) etc. But in exchange, in the
usual patron-client relationship... you had to be loyal to them. He also
settled Rido... the more famous ones were the Rido in Buldon (between the
Aratuc and the Tomawis) and Matanog (between the Imam and Lidasan and
Macapeges). He did this through intermarriages.

He expanded
his clan power by marriages also in the usual feudal times...
Ampatuan-Ampatuan Ampatuan-Sinsuat Ampatuan-Biruar Ampatuan-Imam
Ampatuan-Midtimbang Ampatuan-Santiago etc.

In no time
all the clans were united in one family of Datu Andal Ampatuan!

There was NO
doubt that the man was also ruthless as true to any Paramount Lord! The first
time I heard of this notoriety was his warning to people who opposed him.
Do so and die'! The first victim was a young man, a prominent and
competent Maguindanao and a favorite of Pres. Marcos... his name was Board
Member Abutazil who wanted to contest the Mayorship in Maganoy in the first
election post the ratification of the 1987 Constitution. He was shot in the
Coffee Shop in the poblacion of Maganoy. Datu Andal was arrested and
indicted...!

But NO ONE
would stand as witness... and the case was dismissed! He was elected Mayor of
Maganoy in the first elections in 1987. The second death was during the second
local elections... again the mayorship was contested by Mayor Paglala of Libutan...
he, too, was shot in cold blood in Cotabato City. After that, NO ONE would dare
contest any elections in Maganoy!

The powers of
the Ampatuan were at its zenith when Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. led the convoy
that perpetrated tragic massacre that served as the beginning of the end of the
HOLD of the Ampatuans over the Province and the ARMM.

There is a
real need to write the history of the Victory and the Ignominy of the
Patriarch... NOT only as lesson for the present power holders and lessons about
the vagary of power and shame... but also a lesson on the actual politics and
traditions at work in the place...

I would do
this sometime... being so close to the man... and to his children... I am also
close to the family of Toto Mangudadatu... his father being the original friend
- Datu Pua Mangudadatu of Buluan and Datu Pax Mangudadatu on the other side of
Buluan Lake and to the Matalam, the Sinsuat, the Biruar, the Baraguir and the
Candao the Paglas and the Mangelen etc. . It was easier then to navigate
between and among all these warlords... they were interrelated and they speak
the same language... and they were all for Government and the Military! These
Datus 'tolerated' and respected my opposing views... just in case Marcos would
be toppled down... He did ... and I became foremost Friend of all
administrations post Marcos from Pres. Cory to the present.. In fact all post
Marcos Presidents were personal friends... including PNoy! But I have always
remained independent notwithstanding this friendship...!

I believe in
bringing justice to the perpetrators of the Maguindanao Massacre... I also
believe that NOT all the Ampatuans were involved in that Massacre! Most of the
people indicted HAD NO CHOICE in that given situation! I thought that it would
have been easier simply to indict the three principalsand Datu Andal Sr., Datu
Andal Jr. and the Police Provincial Commander and the AFP Brigade Commander.
The last two needed to be indicted, because they were there to defend and
protect the victims... yet they allowed the massacre to happen.

I would have
indicted the four and would demand compensation for all the victims of ten
millions each. Most of the journalist-victims were poor... They were in the
company because they needed the money... Real indemnifications for these
victims and bring the principals to justice through life sentence would have
better chance of closure... than the present one that would have NO foreseeable
ending... Justice and settlement of this massacre need closure soonest...Fr. Jun
Mercado, OMI