THE Court of Appeals (CA) has reversed the Quezon City regional trial court’s decision exonerating a police officer tagged in the infamous 2009 Maguindanao massacre, where 58 persons including 32 media workers were killed in arguably the most atrocious media bloodbath on record.

In a ruling, the appellate court found Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Badawi Bakal guilty as an accessory and was slapped a prison term ranging from four years and two months to 10 years in each of the 57 counts of murder.

“The Omnibus Order of 11 March 2020 is consequently set aside insofar as it acquitted SPO2 Badawi Bakal who is hereby found guilty beyond reasonable doubt as accessory in Criminal Cases Nos. Q-09-162148 to 72; Q-09-162216 to 31; Q-10-162652 to 66; and Q-10-163766,” the CA said.

“Being a police officer in the active service, SPO2 Bakal abused his public office when he concealed the identities of the accused; he failed to effect or cause their immediate arrest; and he contributed to the delay in the investigation,” it added.

The CA came up with the ruling after granting the appeal filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) on the order issued by RTC Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes.

Judge Reyes convicted former former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan, former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., and scores of other individuals in connection with the grisly Ampatuan massacre case.

In a decision, Solis-Reyes sentenced them to reclusion perpetua without benefit of parol for 57 counts of murder.

Also, Reyes required them to indemnify the heirs of the victims including interests until they are fully paid.

Reyes said in her decision that the prosecution was able to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The other Ampatuans convicted were Anwar Ampatuan Sr., Anwar “Ipi” Ampatuan Jr., and Anwar Sajid “Ulo” Ampatuan.

Furthermore, Reyes convicted several individuals as accessories and sentenced them to a maximum prison term of 10 years.

On the other hand, scores of others mostly policemen were acquitted for insufficiently of evidence.

Reyes disclosed that the prosecution failed to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Maguindanao massacre (or Ampatuan massacre) claimed the lives of 58 individuals including 32 media workers on November 23, 2009.

Members of the Ampatuan clan are facing criminal charges for allegedly masterminding the cold-blooded killing.

The victims that included the wife of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu were in a convoy to Shariff Aguak town to file Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for the May 2010 elections.

A group of armed men stopped the convoy, shot them dead and used a backhoe to bury them while they were still onboard the vehicles.

There were a total of 197 accused in the massacre for multiple murders, including prime suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Aside from Ampatuan Jr., others accused of the same charges were his father, the late Andal Ampatuan Sr., and his brothers Zaldy and Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan.