MANILA, Philippines — Judgment will not longer be handed down against the late former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and other suspects in the Maguindanao massacre case who died in detention. “A criminal case filed against an accused who dies while the case is still pending resolution shall be terminated. “If the accused dies before arraignment, the case shall be dismissed without prejudice to any civil action the offended party may file against the estate of the deceased,” it added. The Ampatuan clan was accused of masterminding the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, which claimed the lives of 58 people including 32 media practitioners. The court is expected to hand down the verdict before the massacre’s 10th anniversary next month.

Source: Philippine Star October 19, 2019 18:33 UTC