Media continue to seek justice for Maguindanao massacre victims

Photos by Mario Ignacio IV

Marking the second year of the Maguindanao massacre, journalists pledged to resist any attempt to trample a person’s right to life and free expression.

In a pledge recited following a candle lighting ceremony led by relatives of some of the 58 victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao, 32 of them journalists and media workers, journalists promised to the best of their ability to obtain justice not only for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre but also victims of extra-judicial killing.

“Ako, bilang mamamahayag, ay nangangakong gagawin ang kahat ng makakaya para makamit ang hustisya, hindi lamang para sa mga biktima sa Ampatuan, Maguindanao kundi lahat ng mga biktima ng pamamaslang.
“Isusulong ang isang pamamahayag na nagtataguyod ng interest ng mamamayan, pamamahayag na lumalaan st nagtatanggol sa karapatang mabuhay at kalayaan sa pamamahayag.”

Speakers lamented the slow pace of the trial of the tragedy that earned for the Philippine the ignominous tag of the second most dangerous place for journalists in the world, next only to Iraq.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to date, 103 of the 196 suspects remain at large and only two of the principal suspects have been arraigned. The case remains snagged on hearings on petitions for bail of the accused.

A member of the International Fact Finding Mission who visited the massacre site in 2009 said they joined the Filipinos last year in asking for justice for the victims from Gloria Arroyo. “We are doing the same to this new government because nothing has happened so far,” he said.

University of the Philippines students carried the streamer that said, “Duguan ang matuwid na daan (The straight path is splattered with blood)”, apparently in reference to the Aquino administration’s slogan of “tuwid na daan.”