Daughter wants father recognized as 58th victim of Maguindanao massacre

MANILA – A daughter of a missing photojournalist on Friday reiterated her plea to the Court of Appeals (CA) to recognize her father as the 58th victim of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

In a manifestation, Ma. Reynafe Momay-Castillo, daughter of missing photojournalist Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat-based Midland Review, formally asked the appellate court to “judicially recognize” her father as among the victims.

“Magpahanggang ngayon hindi pa narerecognize ng korte 'yun kaso ng tatay ko. So, nandito ako para iappeal na marecognize sya as 58th victim (To this day, the court has not yet recognized my father's case. So, I am here to appeal for him to be recognized as the 58th victim),” Renafe said in a media interview.

The remains of Reynaldo, who was 61 at the time of the massacre, have never been found, although his dentures and photography gear were recovered.

In November last year, the Momay family already asked the CA to recognize Reynaldo as the 58th victim.

On Nov. 23, 2009, 58 people, including 32 journalists, family members and supporters, were murdered joined the convoy to Ampatuan Maguindanao, to file the certificate of candidacy for Ismael Mangudadatu against Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Mangudadatu’s wife and his two sisters were among those killed in one of the country's worst election-related violence and the deadliest event for media members.

On Dec. 19, 2019, Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Reyes found Ampatuan brothers Datu Andal and Zaldy Ampatuan guilty of 57 counts of murder and sentenced them to reclusion perpetua without parole.

Twenty-eight co-accused were also convicted of 57 counts of murder and sentenced to 40 years, and an additional 15 were sentenced to 6 to 10 years for being accessories to the crime. (PNA)