ONE of the fatalities in what is now being called the Maguindanao massacre used to call Cebu her home. Atty. Cynthia Oquendo “was a courageous lawyer, a loving mom, a pianist and equestrian,” recalls artist Radel Paredes in a note uploaded on facebook.com.

“She was my best friend,” he added.

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Oquendo studied in Cebu and was active in the student movement at the Southwestern University, where she studied.

“She did a lot of pro-bono work as lawyer in Polomolok (South Cotabato),” Paredes added.

She was buried with her father in a shallow grave in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao together with several media practitioners, only 12 of whom have so far been identified.

The Davao City-based Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) has condemned the killing.

Oquendo, together with another lawyer, Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela, both belonged to the organization.

“It is doubly condemnable that among the latest victims were journalists and lawyers, who have been in the line of fire because of their commitment to their respective profession,” the UPLM statement read.

“Sadly, the names of Atty. Brizuela and Atty. Oquendo will be added to the long list of victims of extra-judicial killings under the present administration,” it added.

Oquendo and Brizuela were part of a convoy, headed by Genalyn Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Ismail Mangudadatu, and the journalists when the convoy was attacked Monday afternoon.

Ismail wants to run for Maguindanao governor in the May 2010 elections and Genalyn was bringing his certificate of candidacy to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Shariff Aguak town

The journalists were there to cover the event.

“This barbaric mass murder not only indicates the early onset of pre-election violence but also shows that the culture of impunity clearly pervades with the existence of warlord-maintained private armies that have long been tolerated by the government, past and present,” the UPLM statement read.

“Considering their proximity to the present occupants of Malacañang, these warlords, as well as their henchmen, certainly believe that they can get away with cold-blooded mass murder,” added UPLM secretary general Carlos Isagani Zarate, also a lawyer. (KNR)