Recognize 58th victim of Ampatuan massacre, appeals court urged again
MANILA, Philippines – The family of Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, dubbed as the 58th victim of the Ampatuan massacre, filed a petition with the Court of Appeals on Friday, August 14, to reiterate their request for Momay’s recognition as one of the victims in the gruesome incident.
Ma. Reynafe Momay-Castillo, Momay’s daughter, filed a manifestation with reiterative motion with the CA. They filed a prayer for judicial recognition with the appellate court as early as 2020 after the Regional Trial Court (RTC) excluded Momay from the list of recognized victims.
Momay was a 61-year-old photojournalist of Midland Review who was among the victims of the massacre in Mindanao. However, except for his dentures, his body could not be found in the mass grave site.
On December 19, 2019, Quezon City RTC Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes convicted the Ampatuan brothers and their cohorts for the murder of only 57 people in 2009, excluding Momay.
“People often remember the number — 58. But behind every number was a person. Someone who laughed, worked hard, loved their family, and had hopes for tomorrow. They were mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, journalists, lawyers, and ordinary people who simply deserved to come home,” Castillo said in her motion filed through her lawyers from Centerlaw Philippines.
“As the years pass, it becomes easier for the world to move on. But for the families left behind, there is no moving on. There is only learning how to carry the loss while continuing to hope that their lives will never be forgotten,” she added.
In their motion, Castillo and her lawyers argued that the right to truth and the right to justice are fundamental rights of victims of gross human rights violations under international law.
According to them, the Philippine government has the obligation to probe, prosecute, and punish those responsible for these grave human rights violations.
“It reminds us that justice is not only about court decisions. Justice is also about remembering. It is about refusing to let history fade into silence. It is about ensuring that future generations know what happened and why it should never happen again,” said Castillo.
At least 32 media workers died on November 23, 2009, in what is considered the country’s worst election-related violence in recent history.
Ten years later, the court convicted only 28 people, including masterminds Datu Andal Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan, for 57 counts of murder in the 2009 massacre. A total of 56 people were acquitted, including Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan, due to reasonable doubt.
Castillo’s filing coincided with the premiere of 58th, a film produced by GMA Network about Momay’s case, at the 2026 Cinemalaya Film Festival.
“From the festival stage to the hearts of those who watched it, the story of the 58 Maguindanao massacre victims will continue to be seen, heard, and remembered,” said the network.
– Rappler.com
