THE Court of Appeals has exonerated key members of the once-feared Ampatuan family from the rebellion charges lodged against them in connection with the grisly Mindanao massacre case.

Cleared were former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Zaldy Ampatuan.

The CA thumbed down the government’s petition for review questioning a Quezon City trial court decision dismissing the rebellion raps against the Ampatuans.

In a decision, the CA upheld the March 2010 ruling by Judge Vivencio Baclig of Quezon City Regional Trial Court who found no probable cause to indict the Ampatuans for rebellion.

Also cleared by the CA were Datu Anwar Ampatuan, Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan, and Datu Akmad Tato Ampatuan.

Personalities linked with them such as Akmad Abdullah Ulilisen, Kusain Akmad Sakilan, Duca Lendungan Amban, Jovel Vista Lopez, Rommy Gimba Mamay, Sammy Duyo Villanueva, Ibrahim Tukya Abdulkadir, Samil Manalao Mindo, Goldo B. Ampatuan, Amaikugao Obab Dalgan, Billy Cabaya Gabriel Jr., Abdulla Kaliangat Ampatuan, Moneb Samir Ibrahim, Umpa Ugka Yarya, Dekay Idra Ulama, Kapid Gabriel Cabaya, Koka Batong Managilid, Sammy Ganda Macabuat and Manding Abdulkadir were also cleared.

The Justice Department accused them of leading the supposed rebellion by “conspiring, confederating and cooperating with each other… commanded their followers to rise publicly and take arms against the Republic for the purpose of removing allegiance to the government.”

This, the DOJ claimed, led to the paralysis of operations of the local government and the trial courts. The Ampatuan clan allegedly convinced their followers to condemn the arrest of their senior clan members.