Just arrest all killers, secure province - Mangudadatus

DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- The Mangudadatu clan wants nothing else but for authorities to secure Maguindanao and give assurance that all the suspects in the Nov. 23 massacre would be arrested in the light of the lifting of martial law the other night in the province.

“There are only two things that we ask for. One is the security of the province of Maguindanao and its environs and at the same time, all the suspects in the massacre would be captured,” said Mayor Datu Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu of the town of Pandag, Maguindanao.

Mangudadatu is the brother of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu whose wife and two sisters were among those killed in the Maguindanao massacre that claimed 57 lives, including 31 mediamen.

The Mangudadatu family thanked the government for the action taken in pursuing suspects in the massacre.

“We are thankful but at the same time we also leave the decision regarding the imposition and lifting of martial law to government,” Mangudadatu told The STAR.

He further said it would be back to normal for his work as mayor of Pandag, which was part of the area under martial law.