Andal Sr laid to rest in his residential compound

SHARIFF AGUAK,
Maguindanao (July 18) – Former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr, the primary
suspect in the infamous Maguindanao massacre, was laid to his final resting
place.

Andal Sr, who
succumbed to liver cancer Friday evening at the National Kidney Transplant
Institute (NKTI), was buried at the back of his residential home here with
close family members, relatives and supporter-friends in attendance.

The media were
barred from entering the compound during the burial.

One of the relatives
said the family requested privacy during the Islamic burial rites which came
before 3 p.m. Saturday.

The remains of
a man who ruled Maguindanao for a decade with iron fist arrived in Maguindanao
through regular Manila-Cotabato commercial flight at the Awang Airport in Datu
Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

His casket was
loaded in a family owned SUV with relatives and supporters joining the convoy
on board flashy cars.

At past 12
noon, a convoy of luxury cars arrived with ambulance aslead car providing siren and
hazard signals, a reminiscent of the days when he was still in power and moving
around with several cars with police and Army escorts.

The SUV that
carried the Ampatuan patriarch’s remains entered his home along the national
highway in Poblacion Shariff Aguak. As soon as the SUV entered a pick-up
vehicle blocked the main gate, preventing other vehicles to come in.

Visitors,
politicians, local leaders, friends, former officials of the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) followed inside but the media were barred.

Some close
relatives failed to come closer to the burial site because of their affiliation
with the Amatuan’s political rival – the Mangudadatus.

Among them was
former Maguindanao Board Member Yasser Ampatuan who really desired to pay his
last respect to his uncle. He opted not
to show up at the burial ceremonies.

The burial
ceremonies ended at about 2:45 p.m. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)