President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is bent on bringing the perpetrators of the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao to justice but will not interfere with how the justice system works, Malacañang said Sunday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar also stressed the President had no hand in the dropping of charges against two members of the prominent Ampatuan political clan blamed for the killings.

“The people should refrain from hurling baseless and irresponsible speculations about the case that would damage the justice system and provoke the grieving families of the massacre victims,” Olivar added.

"It is obscene to insinuate that the President would interfere (with justice) for any kind of political or personal reason in the legal proceedings of a heinous crime like the Maguindanao massacre. However we may feel about this decision by DOJ, let us confine any debate to questions of law and fact, and let us reject baseless and inflammatory speculations," he said.

"Campaign politics, no less the sensitivities of the victims' bereaved families, should not be raked up in this tragic affair," added Olivar.

The Malacanang spokesman reaffirmed government’s resolve to pursue the perpetrators of the massacre of 57 people, including 30 journalists, last November which was considered the worst political killing in the country.

“I don’t see any reason that would reduce our hope and belief that justice will be given to the victims of this crime. This is an international incident and whole world is watching. If only for that reason, we can expect that we will strive to bring justice at the soonest possible time,” he said.

The Department of Justice has cleared Zaldy Ampatuan, former Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and his uncle, Akmad Ampatuan, former Mayor of Mamasapano town for their alleged roles in the Maguindanao massacre for lack of evidence. The two former government executives however will reportedly remain in detention until a local court orders their release.

Olivar said the Justice Department has the authority to make such decision and other tactical moves related to the Maguindanao massacre case regardless of the sentiments of some groups.

Meanwhile, the decision of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to drop the multiple murder charges against Zaldy U. Ampatuan has drawn mixed reactions from various sectors and individuals.

Relatives and supporters of Ampatuan have rejoiced over the decision, praising DOJ Secretary Alberto Agra for his “very fair decision” that would finally allow the suspended ARMM governor to “get reunited with them and restart normal life.”

But other sectors, notably the relatives of at least 58 slain victims in the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre, expressed dismay over the DOJ decision and hoped that “true justice” would prevail against “all people culpable of the gruesome murders.”

In clearing Ampatuan and his brother-in-law, Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan, Secretary Agra said conspiracy was not established against the two. In his decision, Agra acted on a petition for review filed by the two Ampatuans.

“Existence of conspiracy was not proven and being relatives and having similar surnames does not mean there was conspiracy,” Agra said.

Agra also said documentary evidence proved that Zaldy Ampatuan was not at the crime scene at the time of the massacre.

“There’s no proof of conspiracy so it gave weight to Zaldy Ampatuan’s alibi. I cleared Zaldy based on the evidence he presented, consisting of plane tickets and cell phone records that he was not in Maguindanao at the time of the massacre, and a witness who testified that he was not in Maguindanao at the time,” Agra said.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker Simeon Datumanong said Zaldy Ampatuan may not be released as yet, because while the DoJ excluded him in its muder charge sheets before RTC Branch 77, the department also sought to retain its rebellion charges in a motion for reconsideration it filed before RTC Branch 78.

Meanwhile, familes of the massacre victims said that they worry about their safety.
In a statement, Harry L. Roque, Jr., a lawyer of some of the families of the victims, said Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra's recent decision to exonerate Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan proves what they have suspected all this time.

“That we cannot expect justice for the victims under the Arroyo administration,” Roque said.

He said the families of victims of the gruesome murders now have another real worry – their personal safety.

“Secretary Agra exonerated the two Ampatuans on the ground of an alibi. Alibi though is the weakest of all possible defenses. Presence is not indispensible where a crime was committed as part of a conspiracy where the act of one is the act of all,” Roque said in a statement.

“Alibi cannot prevail against positive testimony of a witness that the Governor was part of the planning of the massacre. Surely, Secretary Agra could at least point to a stronger ground as basis for the dismissal of the multiple charges for murder against Gov. Ampatuan. While there maybe other grounds for the possible dismissal: perhaps, political; it is not on the basis of law and evidence,” Roque said.