Justice still far away for victims of Maguindanao Massacre

By: James Sebastian U. Bendijo

(originally posted at November 21,2013)

 Student and veteran Journalists gathered in front of Bulacan Provincial Capitol to commemorate and remember the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre in which 32 journalists were killed brutally. Up to this point, no justice has been served to those who were killed, drawing the ire of their fellow journalists here in Bulacan.

They are all united in their claim that the government, headed by President Benigno Aquino III, is not doing its best to serve justice to those 32 killed journalists. They reiterated that the verdict should be handed down before 2016, the year PNOY will end his term.

Mr. Dino Balabo, president of National Union of Journalist of the Philippines-Bulacan and also a correspondent at Philippine Star, lamented on the fact that the case is going on a slow process despite holding hearings, three times a week. He pointed out that there has been so many delaying tactics, ruining the case in the process.

Balabo also called out PNP for their weak effort in collecting evidence. “Hinuhukay yung mga bangkay, backhoe ang ginagamit nila, ang daming nacontaminate, nadamage na evidence dun,” Balabo cited.

Balabo also did not hesitated to express doubt on whether Aquino and the government can get it done before 2016. “Pinangako niya nung 2010 na aasikasuhin niya at bibigyan ng katarungan yan, sa nakikita natin, the rate the case is going, medyo mabagal, so maaaring sumobra ng 2016,” said Balabo.

Cecilio Franista, President of Bulacan Press Club, also expressed frustation on government not being able to give justice to the victims and not being able to give safety to media practitioners.

“Sa ganitong kalagayan, ang mala-piyudal at mala-colonial na pamamaraan, kaisipan sa mga bulok na sistema umiiral pa rin hanggang ngayon, gawa ng mga ibang utak pulbura na namamahala sa ating  pamahalaan, lubhang nakapangangamba ngayon sa mga Journalist practitioner sa bansa,” said Franista.

“Ganito ba ang bansang mayroong demokrasya?, mayroon kinikilingan pag may malaking pulitiko ang nasasangkot, mabagal pa sa pagong ang pag-usad ng hustisya, parang gagamba na binebentot muna sa kapwa gagamba, pinagtatagal hanggang isinasantabi ang kaso sa korte,” lamented Franista.

They all could only hope that justice will soon be given to the murdered victims and their message be overheard by the government.