Bicol students, journos remember fallen 58 in the Maguindanao massacre
LEGAZPI CITY – For journalism students here, the annual commemoration of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre is not just a tribute to the 58 victims, but a symbol of solidarity of media practitioners to call for justice.
Geromae de la Fuente, president of Bicol Organization of Neo-Journalists (Bonjour), the organization of journalism students in Bicol University in this city, said the event would be another reminder for the public and the media to be more critical, especially that the midterm elections in May next year is getting closer.
“With the upcoming elections, we deemed it crucial to integrate the impunity experienced by the media practitioners as they put aspiring politicians under further scrutiny,” De la Fuente told the Inquirer on Saturday.
Trishia Faye Dometita, a first-year journalism student who was only three years old when the murders happened in Ampatuan town of the then united Maguindanao province on Nov. 23, 2009, lamented that justice remained elusive for the victims and their families.
The 58 victims, 32 of whom were media workers, were brutally killed by a private armed group linked to the powerful Ampatuan clan while en route to the filing of the certificate of candidacy for then Buluan Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu.It became known as the “single deadliest attack on the media” and was recognized as an “election-related impunity.”
“As a campus journalist now, I wanted to lift my voice more in order to reach more people to speak up and continue to seek justice,” Dometita said.
The commemoration activity kicked off on Friday with a seminar focusing on concepts of watchdog journalism and the ethical considerations on election reportage.
Photo gallery
Bonjour also displayed a photo gallery of the victims, with timeline of events and graffiti seeking to hold the powerful Ampatuan family accountable for the killings.
On Saturday afternoon, more than 200 students and media practitioners joined the silent march, which was followed by a candle lighting activity at the university grounds.
Reynard Sevillano, president of Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas Albay chapter, said the death of the 58 persons, including 32 media workers, was not merely an attack on the individuals, but an assault on democracy, press freedom, and the rule of law.
“While we recognize the enduring pain and trauma, we also celebrate the bravery of those who persist in the struggle for accountability,” Sevillano said in his solidarity message on Saturday.
Reynard Magtoto, director of National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), reiterated a call on the government to dismantle the private armed groups of politicians and the use of law enforcers for oppression.
“We can’t ignore the government’s lack of action on these issues, especially when we want a society without oppressors,” Magtoto said in a private message, also Saturday.
Magtoto noted that “from 2009 to 2024, only partial justice has been served and this year, there are no pending cases in local courts.”
Forty-four of the suspects, including Ampatuan brothers Andal Jr. and Zaldy, involved in the massacre have already been convicted in 2022, while 88 others are still at large, according to NUJP.
