IT WAS the eighth month of the Ampatuan massacre and lawyers, members of the civil society and the media were once again gathered to commemorate what could hopefully be Philippines history's worst attack on media and lawyers.

Since the new administration took oath, the horror of the massacre seemed to have subsided in the background. But we all know we should never forget because in forgetting, we may embolden others to be as vicious if not worse.

Thus in the "Gabii sa Pasundayag og Pagpadasig" last July 23 in Taboan at the Matina Town Square in Davao City, lawyers, students, cultural workers, and journalists gathered to perform and listen to songs and poems calling out for peace, demanding justice, and most of all an end to impunity. The same impunity that saw politicians mowing down people who go against their will and all those who accompany these dissenters.

In the latest development in the multiple murder case filed in relation to the Ampatuan massacre, the pre-trial conference last Friday was deferred after defense lawyer Nelson Roque, counsel for Police Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg, failed to show up at the proceeding at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes ordered the resetting of the pre-trial on August 17, while demanding an explanation from the lawyer why he did not show up.

Meanwhile, the lawyer of two civilians accused in the murder case said they were not the persons who were identified as suspects in the charge sheet.

Public Attorney Rommel Asuncion pointed out that his clients were identified in the charge sheet Maot Dumla and Thong Guimano when in fact they are Ibrahim Kamal Tatak and Not Abdul.

The two had earlier pleaded not guilty last week when the judge called on Guimano and Dumla.

In the July 28 court proceedings, principal suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., Mohamad Sangki, Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, Police Officer 2 Hernanie Decipulo, Police Officer 2 Saudiar Ulah Police Officer 2 Saudi Pasutan, Police Officer 1 Heinrich Amaba, Police Officer 1 Esprielito Lejarso, Police Officer 1 Rainier Ibus, Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, Inspector Michael Joy Macaraeg, Police Officer 1 Pia Kamidon, Mohamad Sangki, Chief Inspector Sukarno Dicay, Esmael Canapia, Takpan Dilon, Maot Dumla and Thong Guimano entered not guilty pleas for the death of UNTV journalist Victor Nunez, the 57th victim of the massacre.

Fifty-seven people were killed, including 31 media workers and two women lawyers, several of them peppered with bullets, buried with tamped down vehicles, and covered in soil by a backhoe owned by the Provincial Government of Maguindanao last November 29, 2009 in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

A total of 190 are accused in the massacre but only 62 are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa including Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan. (With Sunnex reports)