The Philippine Online Chronicles

Wednesday’s continuation of the Maguindanao Massacre trial found Maguindanao politician Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu taking the stand to relate how several high-ranking government officials tried to dissuade him from running against Andal Ampatuan, Jr. He also recounted the last conversation he had with his wife Jennelyn before she and two of his sisters were gunned down along with 54 others in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

In his one-and-a-half-hour testimony, Mangudadatu told how he was called by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio to Malacañang Palace for a “reconciliatory meeting” with several Ampatuan clan members. During the meeting, Mangudadatu was asked to declare before Andal Ampatuan Sr. that he was giving up his plans to run for governor of Maguindanao.

“I didn’t say anything, I just mentioned my people were encouraging me to run,” he said.

According to Mangudadatu, he also met with former defense secretary and current Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr., who warned him against his plans to run for governor.

“I care about you Toto,” he quoted Teodoro as saying. “These are violent people.”

Former lawmaker Prospero Pichay also tried to warn him against running, said Mangudadatu.

Mangudadatu became emotional upon being shown photos of his wife’s body for identification. The convoy she was part of had been on the way to the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) office to file Mangudadatu’s Certificate of Candidacy (COC).

“Our family decided to send my wife, my sisters, my aunt and my media friends to file my certificate of candidacy [on Nov. 23] because Islam teaches us to treat women with respect,” he said.

Cellphone companies Smart and Globe were subpoenaed to produce records that a phone conversation took place between Mangudadatu and his wife the night before she died.

"She said: 'We have been stopped by so many men here. Armed men'," Mangudadatu said. “’Unsay [Ampatuan's nickname] is here. He struck me.’ Those were the last words of my wife."