comscore Main suspect in 2009 Philippine massacre dies in hospital | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Every act of aloha counts. Click here to DONATE to the MAUI RELIEF Fund.
Top News

Main suspect in 2009 Philippine massacre dies in hospital

Honolulu Star-Advertiser logo
Unlimited access to premium stories for as low as $12.95 /mo.
Get It Now
  • ASSOCIATED PRESS / NOV. 23, 2014
    In this 2014 file photo, Edita Tiamzon, right, widow of slain journalist Daniel, breaks into tears as she views an art exhibit to mark the 5th anniversary of the massacre of 58 people, 32 of them journalists, in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines » A lawyer says one of the main suspects on trial for the 2009 massacre of 58 people in the southern Philippines has died of a heart attack.

Salvador Panelo says his client Andal Ampatuan Sr., a former governor of Maguindanao province, died overnight in a government hospital. Ampatuan was brought to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in early June and was diagnosed with liver cancer.

Ampatuan was among 103 people, including several of his sons and other relatives, who were charged with multiple murder in the Maguindanao massacre, one of the worst political killings in the Philippines.

They were accused of killing 58 people in a convoy of vehicles, which included their political rival and 32 journalists. It was also the world’s worst single killing of media workers.

Comments have been disabled for this story...

Click here to view ongoing news coverage of the Maui wildfires. Sign up for our free e-newsletter to get the latest news delivered to your inbox. Download the Honolulu Star-Advertiser mobile app to stay on top of breaking news coverage.

Be the first to know
Get web push notifications from Star-Advertiser when the next breaking story happens — it's FREE! You just need a supported web browser.
Subscribe for this feature

Scroll Up