COTABATO CITY – Maguindanao 2nd District Representative Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct a thorough investigation of the mortar blast in Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao to give justice to the victims.

The blast killed two minor siblings, and injured 14 others. 

Mangudadatu said the incident like this would bring hatred and vengeance against the government and to the authorities.

 

Mangudadatu stressed that aside form emotion and financial support for the affected family of victims, it also needs spiritual at mental counseling that felt by immediate relatives of victims.

Meanwhile, Municipal Administrator Musib Tan of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindao in an interview by a local radio station in Cotabato City asked the public to halt posting hatred messages on social media that could worsen the situation.

“Ditanu muna mam’labit, manindit u enten e minggula sa kinambitu antu, inggay tanu din inya kanu mga investigator. Angapan tanu su resulta na namba invistation anan,” he said in vernacular.  

It is recalled that on May 24, Sunday during the observance of Eid’l Fitre, an 81mm mortar hit the house of Tambak family that killed two of their children, Aslamiya Tambak, 10 years old and Asnaida Tambak, 7 years old, and injured other civilians.

MILG-BARMM Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo ng Bangsamoro government visited the place where the bomb exploded at Sitio Amai Zailon, Barangay Kitango. 

He also went to see the victims of the alleged ‘mortar shelling’ in hospital to personally extend his sympathy.

“We also visited the victims both at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) and Maguindanao Provincial Hospital to provide them assistance and learn the facts first hand from them,” Sinarimbo said.

Sinarimbo assured the family of victims that the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) will help finance for the victims’ medication.

He said that Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al-Haj Murad’ Ebrahim instructed him for the Bangsamoro government’s appropriate agency to conduct an impartial investigation. 

“Inatasan rin ni Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al-Haj Murad’ Ebrahim ang mga naaangkop na tanggapan ng Bangsamoro Government na magsagawa ng isang patas na imbestigasyon upang malaman ang buong katotohanan sa nangyaring insidente,” Sinarimbo said in Filipino.

In a news posted in the BARMM website, said that the Bangsamoro Government, through its Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG), the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) with its 6th Infantry Division (6ID), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) will do a parallel investigation on the recent mortar shelling in Maguindanao town. 

A separate report says that Lt. Col. Edgardo Vilchez Jr. of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division disclosed that the military had sent an investigating team to Datu Saudi Ampatuan, while Maguindanao Police Director, Police Col. Arnold Santiago had also ordered the town police to start a separate probe.