COTABATO CITY – Almost seven years since the Maguindano massacre, the relatives of both victims and suspects in the gruesome killings vented their disappointment with the slow pace of the high-profile case.

“Nakaka-disappoint kasi lahat ng presidente nag-promise na they will really help that the case will be settled within their term pero wala man din nagawa pala,” said former Cotabato City councilor Marino Ridao, the father of massacre victim Anthony Ridao.

[It's disappointing because every president promises that he will settle the case within his term but nothing really happens.]

Even the group 1,123 Advocates, whose members are mostly relatives of cops tagged in the massacre, was dismayed over the slow pace of the case.

But Jalilah Maguid, president of 1,123 Advocates and wife of former Maguindanao Police provincial director Abusama Maguid, said she is not losing hope that her husband will soon be freed.

Accoring to Maguid, 53 policemen being implicated in the Maguindanao massacre are now detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan.

“Masyado kaming dismayado sa usad-pagong na paglilitis pero hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa na talagang makakalabas 'yung mga PNP na idinawit sa Maguindanao massacre kasi hindi lahat ng taga-PNP na naka kulong ay may kasalanan po,” Maguid said.

[We are dismayed at the slow pace of the trial but we are not losing hope that all the police tagged in the Maguindanao massacre will be freed. Not all police in jail committed crimes.]

On Sunday, the kin of Maguindanao massacre victims together with member of the media headed by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines visited the massacre site in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman Ampatuan Maguindanao.

An ecumenical service was conducted at the massacre site followed by a blessing of the graves.

Families also offered flowers and lighted candles in the graveyard.

Erlin Arieola, wife of MC Gilbert Arieola, a cameraman of UNTV and one of the victims, said she and her son still cannot accept the sad fate of her husband.

Despite the slow pace of the trial, she hopes that justice will be served under the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Pangulong Duterte sana po hindi na ito aabutin pa ng pitong taon sana makakamit na naming ang hustisya. Ayoko ko po na lumaki ang anak ko na may hinanakit sa ibang tao," she said.

[President Duterte, I hope that this will not reach another seven years for justice to be served. I don't want my son to grow up with resentment for other people.]

The November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre, which occurred at the height of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the 2010 elections, has been dubbed as one of the world's worst election-related violence and deadliest attack against media practitioners.

Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr., the Ampatuan clan patriarch who allegedly masterminded the massacre, passed away in July 2015.

Ampatuan’s son, Sajid Islam, was temporarily freed after posting a bail of P11.6 million last March 2015.

In a text message to ABS-CBN News, Maguindanao Governor Ismael Mangudadatu said he and his family will visit the massacre site on Wednesday, the seventh year commemoration of the Maguindanao massacre.