Facing various punitive sanctions over the November 23 massacre of 60 people including 30 journalists, the Ampatuans have decided to field candidates for governor, vice governor, and other local posts in Maguindanao not related to them, under the administration-allied Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

This developed as a member of the Ampatuan clan on Monday appealed to the public “not to condemn collectively all Ampatuans” in the carnage because the family has “many factions” professing different principles and ideals.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan and his father, Maguindanao former Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. picked Mayors Umbra Sinsuat of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Midpantao Midtimbang of Talayan as their candidates for governor and vice governor of Maguindanao.

Sinsuat and Midtimbang were among 20 mayors who attended a meeting the Ampatuans called at the Shariff Aguak on Saturday purportedly to assess the family’s remaining political strength amid various government punitive actions on the clan as a result of the November 23 massacre.

“Regional Governor Ampatuan and his father Datu Andal Sr. fielded Mayors Sinsuat and Midtimbang as their family candidates under the NPC,” a family member told the Bulletin via text messages.

The source hinted that the Ampatuans have chosen the NPC as their political party in the coming elections after the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD expelled them recently as another punitive consequence of the massacre in Ampatuan town.

Under the NPC, the source said, the Ampatuans would also field candidates for mayors in all 27 towns of Maguindanao and a complete slate of provincial board members who belong to other political families allied with them.