Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Urge PNoy to protect witnesses, help victims’ families on livelihood 

By Arthur Allad-iw

BAGUIO CITY – Media practitioners in this summer capital city lit candles at the Session Road Rotunda here to commemorate the 5^th year commemoration of the killings of 58 mostly media workers in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009



Photo by: Noel Godinez 

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Photo: Art Allad-iw

With candles lighted forming the number 58 to reiterate the victims of the Maguindanao massacre, the local media practitioners – wearing black and red shirts - urged the administration of Pres. Noynoy Aquino to perform his tasks by doing all means that would facilitate the immediate resolution of the case, which they claimed is in a turtle-pace at its present dispensation.

The candles that had been lighted tonight at the Rotunda and those at home, who cannot attend the activity, represent the days when the massacred happened up to this day and to reiterate that justice is still elusive for the victims of the horrible massacre in the history of the Philippines. It was a joint activity by media practitioners affiliated with the local chapter of the National Union of Students of the Philippines and the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters club.

Photo by Rocky Ngalob

“We do not only commemorate the untimely death of our compatriots, but we resolve to elevate to a higher level of vigilance our call for justice for the victims of the massacre,” said Kathleen Okubo, chairperson of the local NUJP and editor of the Northern Dispatch Weekly.

                                            

Photo: Art Allad-iw

The journalists also reiterated in their activity four points, which are as follows:

First, the case resolution of the Maguindanao massacre is a turtle-pace which allegedly reflects our justice system;

Second, Pres. Aquino should do his tasks as the highest officer of the land by ensuring that concerned agencies are performing their tasks towards attainment of justice for the victims, as they claimed that Aquino, whose father was killed during the fascist regime of Marcos, also experienced what the children of the victims felt at the moment;

Third, that the witnesses be extended protection in order that they will help in proving the guilt beyond reasonable doubt of those accused, as they pointed out that a fifth witness was recently killed; and,

Fourth, the government should extend protection to families of witnesses as they are continuously threatened. They pointed a situation where Myrna Parangan-Reblando, wife of one of the journalists killed, was forced to seek refuge to other country because of the continuing threat to her and her family. They also urged that the government extend hand to the victims’ families, particularly for livelihood until they can recover as their murdered kin were their bread winners, who died untimely and detached them from their sustenance.

Photo by: Noel Godinez

The lighted candles are the local media’s contribution on the target one million candles to be lighted nationwide by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.  #