UNA: We didn’t endorse Ampatuans

THE UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE (UNA), a political coalition of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Laban ng Pilipino (PDP-LABAN) and the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), has firmly denied a report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that it has endorsed at least 34 candidates bearing the Ampatuan name in the 2013 local elections.

UNA Secretary General Toby TIangco made the statement on the 3rd anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre, where 58 people including 32 journalists were murdered allegedly by members of the Ampatuan clan.

TIangco stressed that as Secretary General, he has not come across any certificate of nomination and acceptance of any member of the Ampatuan clan.

However, when told by the PCIJ that the PCIJ report Ampatuan Jr sells 8 big properties; 72 Ampatuans running in 2013 was based on a list furnished by the Commission on Elections, Tiangco said that it was possible that the Ampatuans in question were endorsed by their member-parties, the PDP-Laban or the PMP, and not by the coalition itself.

When the PCIJ reminded him that the UNA is precisely just a coalition of the PDP-Laban and the PMP, and that both parties were listed by the Comelec as having endorsed Ampatuan family members, Tiangco replied that there were some decisions made by the parties in the local level that were not approved at the coalition level.

“It’s very complicated in the local level,” Tiangco said in a phone conversation with the PCIJ.

The PCIJ report, based on the reports filed by municipal and provincial election officers based on the certificates of candidacy filed by those running in next year’s elections, showed a slew of candidates bearing the last or middle name Ampatuan under the banners of either the ruling Liberal Party, or the opposition coalition UNA.

The Comelec list showed that 34 Ampatuans were running under parties that make up the UNA coalition: 18 under the PDP-Laban and 16 under the PMP.

Another 9 Ampatuans were running under the Liberal Party of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

The report has caused an outcry among human rights groups and families of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre.

On Thursday Liberal Party chairman Franklin Drilon said he will have the endorsement of any member of the Ampatuan clan revoked by his party.

Tiangco said he will check with their member parties if they have in fact endorsed Ampatuans at the local level. Tiangco however said that the UNA will not revoke an endorsement of any Ampatuan just on the basis of the name.

In fact, Tiangco said, UNA will not revoke any endorsement of an Ampatuan even if he or she is the spouse of one of the accused in the massacre. The PCIJ report showed that the wives of principal suspect Zaldy Ampatuan and Andal Ampatuan Jr were running for a second term under the PDP-Laban.

Tiangco said they will only revoke an endorsement if that Ampatuan was directly involved or implicated in the massacre.