The case involved the conviction of Andal Ampatuan Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan and twenty-six other accomplices, for the death of fifty-eight persons, including thirty-two journalists, in the incident known as the Maguindanao Massacre. The Regional Trial Court held that the killings qualified as murder, since it satisfied the first and fifth provisions of Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) which provided the following qualifying circumstances for murder: “(1) With treachery, taking advantage of superior strength, with the aid of armed men, or employing means to weaken the defense or of means or persons to insure or afford impunity” and “(5) With evident premeditation. As such, they were sentenced to a penalty of imprisonment of Reclusion Perpetua.