US-based Filipino journalists condemn Maguindanao massacre

24Nov09

Filipino journalists based in the United States condemned the massacre of at least 24 people, including members of the media, in Maguindanao.

“The Philippine government must act swiftly and decisively to bring all the perpetrators to justice, irrespective of their positions or political affiliations,” the group said in a statement.

The statement was signed by, among others, Lito Katigbak, Philippine Star and Manila Mail; Cristina DC Pastor, Managing Editor of Philippine News; Bing Branigin, Manila Mail; Rodney Jaleco, ABS-CBN News (Washington DC) and Pinoy Herald; Jun Medina, Manila Times; Lenn Almadin-Thornhill and Monette Rivera, ABS-CBN News (New York); Rita Gerona-Adkins, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine News and Asian Fortune; and Mary Estacion, ABS-CBN News (Baltimore).

“We convey to them our message of sympathy and unity during this dark period in Philippine journalism,” their statement read.

On Monday afternoon, at least 24 people were killed, including members of a political clan, civilians and journalists, when about 100 armed men stopped their convoy in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The incident happened while relatives and supporters of Buluan town Vice-Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, together with some members of the media, were on their way to Shariff Aguak town to file the certificate of candidacy (CoC) on his behalf.

Mangudadatu is seeking gubernatorial post in Maguindanao. Reports said 4 survivors in the massacre pointed to Mangudadatu’s political rivals as those behind the crime.

As this developed, the Philippine National Police on Tuesday relieved Chief Inspector Zukarno Adil Dicay, the deputy provincial director of Maguindanao, for his alleged involvement in the massacre. Dicay was allegedly seen with the group of Mayor Datu Unsay Ampatuan that stopped the victims’ convoy.

“As Filipino journalists here in the United States, we feel that we too are victims of this senseless violence,” the US-based journalists said.

They added that the incident could not have come at a worst possible time since the US Congress is examining whether to cut military aid to the Philippines because of serious human rights violations, including the killing of journalists.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders noted: “Never in the history of journalism have the news media suffered such a heavy loss of life in one day.”