A motorcade is also planned to re-enact the last hours of the bloody massacre happened ago while they were going to register a candidate for the governorship of Maguindanao province, on the southern island of Mindanao.

Esmael ‘Toto’ Mangudadatu was the candidate to be registered that day but he was not with the convoy, instead it was his wife and two of his sisters along with 31 members of the media that were killed. Women were said to be raped and humiliated.

Andal Ampatuan Jr., his father along with 200 other men were said to be the mastermind of the massacre that shocked the whole world. The Ampatuans were known as the local dominant political clan in the province and is said to have their own private militia.

”One year after the Maguindanao massacre, the Ampatuans remain a powerful and dangerous force with which to be reckoned,” says a Human Rights Watch report last November 16.

Mangudadatu, whose wife Gennalyn was among the victims of the ill-fated massacre in Ampatuan town, also reiterated his support to Teodoro’s candidacy in a press conference held at the Linden Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

“Alam n’yo, ‘party man ako,’ at ang aking support kay Secretary Gilbert Teodoro ay hindi nababahiran yan at hindi maaalis ang aking support sa kanya (You know, I am a ‘party man,’ and my support to Secretary Gilberto Teodoro will never change),” Mangudadatu said.

“At yung mga sinabi Secretary Gibo noon ay pagmamahal bilang isang kaibigan (The advice given to me by Secretary Gibo came from a ‘true friend’),” he added.

Mangudadatu also wrote out a message with regards to the negative responses from several sectors when he disclosed during a hearing of the Maguindanao massacre case a few days ago that Teodoro advised him not to pursue Andal Sr. in the gubernatorial race because he well thought him out as “a violent person.” Mangudadatu’s statement generated critiques against the former defense chief for allegedly failing to render protection to his family, and as a result led to the most horrific massacre incident in Philippines’ history. Some gave their wrong interpretations about Mangudadatu’s claims as Teodoro was in favor of the Ampatuan over him in relation to the tense political intramurals in Maguindanao province.

“They should not blame Secretary Gibo because he does not have operational control over the military forces in our area. The military commanders in the field are the ones in charge in the operations,” Mangudadatu stressed out.

Lakas-Kampi CMD presidential bet Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has dared Ampatuan clan’s lawyer to file charges against him in court for the ontogeny of illegal weapons in the province of Maguindanao.

“I am daring him to file charges against me in court,” Teodoro told reporters in Davao City. “And he better present strong documentary and physical evidence to back up his allegations.”

Ampatuans’ counsel, Philip Pantojan, had priorly supposed that Teodoro and the Department of National Defense (DND) were accountable for supplying high-powered firearms and ammunition to his clients.

“That claim is without basis; the lawyer is barking up the wrong tree. It is clear that the Defense Department has no operational control over the distribution of firearms and ammunition to the units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” says GiboTeodoro.

“What is clear is that accountable officers of the Armed Forces have control over the supplies and to where these will go,” he added.

During the initial investigation, the former Defense secretary had requested the AFP to unveil the result of its investigation into the outlawed diversion of military firearms and ammunition discovered last December in the armory of the Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao province.

On the other hand, Teodoro urged that the AFP should file the suitable charges against military officers found guilty for the arms diversion following an investigation ordered last month by AFP Chief Gen.Victor Ibrado.

“The people’s confidence in the military institution has to be maintained,”added Teodoro who stressed out for the responsible military officers, and that they must be punished to the full extent of the law.

Zaldy Ampatuan was replaced after he was taken by the military into custody prior to his alleged involvement in last month’s mass killing of 57 people in Maguindanao and was subsequently charged with rebellion by the Department of Justice.

Puno administered the oath of office of Adiong as part of his general powers of supervision over the ARMM, which the President has delegated to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) under Administrative Order 273.

“We thank acting Governor Ansaruddin Adiong for this very brave act. His’ is not going to be an easy task. The tasks that lie ahead are going to be difficult but we have confidence and faith in his ability as acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Puno said.

“At this most trying times, we temporarily take over the reins of government in Muslim Mindanao. We are equally humbled by the enormity of the responsibility it carries,” Adiong said after taking his oath of office at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Thursday noon.

The oathtaking ceremony, held during simple rites at the conference room of the Camp Crame Multipurpose Hall, was also attended by representatives of the component provinces of the ARMM, including Rep. Pangalian Balindong of the second district of Lanao del Sur along with Governors Sakur Tan of Sulu, Jum Akbar of Basilan, Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur, and Sadikul Sahali of Tawi-Tawi.

“Today’s exercise will evidence and impress upon everyone that even with martial law in Maguindanao, the Constitution remains in effect, the civilian government is in place … and all other aspects of governance will continue to exist,” Puno said.

He said the appointment of Adiong as regional governor of the ARMM will “set in motion” other events “to restore normalcy in Maguindanao.”

“I hope this will lay to rest all the fears about martial law and the delegation to the DILG by the President of her powers of general supervision over the ARMM that these will result in a de facto takeover of the region. That will not be the case. What will be enforced are the laws that continue to be in effect with or without martial law. Our laws remain in place no matter what crisis takes place,” Puno said.

At the start Wednesday night of the joint session of Congress tackling Proclamation 1959 by the President, which imposed a state of martial law in Maguindanao except for certain areas, Puno clarified his role in the ARMM, making it clear that he has no “blanket authority” or broad powers to either appoint a new regional governor or take over the area.

Puno sought to clarify misconceptions that he has become the “de facto governor” of ARMM following the issuance by President Arroyo of AO 273.

The DILG chief explained to Sen. Benigno Aquino III during the joint session—the first by the bicameral Congress under the 1987 Constitution—that under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, which provides for the autonomy of the local government units, the DILG has no control over LGUs, much less the autonomous regions in the country.

As for the President’s powers over the ARMM that were transferred to the DILG, Puno pointed out that under Article V, Section 1 of Republic Act 9054, which strengthened and expanded the Organic Act for the ARMM, such powers are only to ensure that the acts of the regional governor are within the scope of his or her powers and functions.

“The nature of this supervision allows the President or her delegated authority to suspend the regional governor for a period of not more than six months” for willful violation of the Constitution or any existing law that applies to the ARMM, Puno said.

Besides these powers, Puno said the President or her delegated authority, as stated under RA 9054, may suspend, reduce, or cancel the financial blocks or grants-in-aid, funds for infrastructure and other forms of assistance intended for the autonomous region for the following reasons:

1) if the regional government fails to account for the funds and financial assistance released to it by the central government or national government, within one month from the end of every quarter in which the funds and financial assistance had been released or;

2) when measures for the protection and enhancement of the civil, human, political or religious rights of the lumads, Christians and other minorities in the autonomous region ordained by the Constitution and RA 9054, are not respected or are violated or not implemented within one year from its enactment.

Puno stressed that under the law, neither the President nor the DILG secretary has the power to appoint public officials in the ARMM to fill the political vacuum left with the arrest of the members of the Ampatuan clan, who hold various elective and appointive positions in the province.

He made it clear that it is still the regional governor, unless he is rendered incapable of fulfilling his functions, who will have to appoint officers-in-charge in the autonomous region.

Because the regional governor—Zaldy Ampatuan—is now unable to carry out his fuctions, then under the principles of lawful succession, the vice governor—Adiong—has to take over as acting ARMM governor.

If for any reason the vice governor is incapable of carrying out this task, the Speaker of the Assemby is the next in line, Puno said.

Given that Adiong is now the acting governor, he has the power to appoint the OICs to fill up the vacant positions in the ARMM, Puno noted.

He said that even with martial law in place in Maguindanao, the ARMM continues to enjoy autonomy.

Moreover, he said, the transfer of the President’s powers of general supervision over the ARMM to the DILG did not in any way “impair the autonomy of the region.”

DILG Sec. Ronnie Puno featured on CNN as he talks about charging Andal Ampatuan Jr, a politician pointed out by witnesses as the prime suspect in the Maguindanao massacre.

The president has given Sec. Ronnie Puno “full powers of supervision” to carry out his own recommendation to suspend all government, military and police officials in Maguindanao. He was also authorized to appoint temporary replacements.

Last Thursday, Sec. Ronnie Puno recommended the suspension of all Maguindanao officials to allow an impartial investigation of the massacre which is said to link within the rivalry of two political clans in the province.