MEMBERS of the media in Cagayan de Oro City gathered at the Press Freedom Monument at the Capitol grounds Saturday morning to light candles and offer prayers for the victims of the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao Massacre.
Ten years since the killing of 58 people, of which 32 were media workers and journalists, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao, the media and the victims' families were anticipating the ruling on the murder case against Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and more than 100 others on December 20, after Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta granted the request of Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes for 30 more days on November 8.
"The Maguindanao massacre will forever leave a mark in the history of media work in the Philippines, but as long as it is not given justice, it will always remain an open, unhealed wound not only to the families of the victims, but also to the media community," Pamela jay Orias, the president of the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP)-Cagayan de Oro Chapter, said in a statement.
She added that the remembrance of the "bloody massacre" is a reminder how journalists and media workers are easy targets and victims of impunity.
"Hence we continue to fight, as we stand together with other issues surrounding our workplaces, from labor, harassment, death threats and red-tagging issues," Orias said.
Ten years after the "bloody massacre," the Philippines is still in the top 5 among the countries where the murders of journalists are left unprosecuted. In 2010, the country was number 1.
"Sikat kay numero uno apan makaakulaw kay demokrasya man kaha kita. Apan bisan pa sa paningkamot, wala man nausab ang atong data kung tan-awon nato ang impunity index," Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) past president Uriel Quilingqing said.
Apart from the media practitioners in Cagayan de Oro, relatives of the victims, namely: Catherine Nuñez, the mother of Victor Nuñez of UNTV General Santos; and Arlene Lupogan, the wife of Lindo Lupogan of Mindanao Daily Garette Davao City, were present in the candle lighting ceremony.
"10 years wala gyud mi nakita nga hustisya. Usahay makaingon ko basig gibayaran ang huwes na iya ra mi gipatuyok-tuyok kay ngano maglisod sya og hatag og desisyon," Catherine said.
She also hoped that there will be no additional request for extension and that the ruling will be done before December 20.
"Unta ihatag na nya before sa December 20 nga gihatag sa korte. Ihatag nya pwede na bisag pag mopahuway sya'g tibuok sa iyang kinabuhi. Kay kung sa iya mahitabo ang nahitabo nga sakit nga nahitabo sa amo, unsa kaha ang iyang bation, bisag makig gyera sya," Catherine said.
Arlene, for her part, emotionally expressed her gratitude to the journalists of Cagayan de Oro for the continuous support.
"Akong gipangayo sa judge unta nga madesisyunan na sa sunod bulan unta, dili naman nato tugtan ma-extend pa ang maong desisyon," Arlene said