Never Forget.

November 23, 2009. Maguindanao Massacre: 58 people were murdered and 32 of them are journalists.
Today, November 23, 2011, the family of the victims and mediamen are still seeking for justice.

2 years w/o justice. :'(

As a student journalist, we were all affected by this. I have an in depth knowledge about this case when I had my internship at Center for Media and Responsibility (CMFR). We were assigned to cover the 5th Commemoration of the Massacre and we interviewed some of the victims' families. It is really painful to see them devastated.

Here's a part of our article about the 5th commemoration:

Elusive justice

Catherine Nu ñez, mother of UNTV reporter Victor Nuñez, demanded that Agra give them justice rather than clearing the two Ampatuans of the multiple murder charges. “Ginoong Agra, sana po, ‘wag mong ipagkait ang hustisya na hinihingi namin sa aming pamilyang namatay. Maawa ka sa amin. Tao ka rin, wag ka namang magpusong bato(Agra please don’t deny to us the justice that our family asks for our slain loved ones. Have pity on us. Don’t be stone-hearted).

“Ipataw mo ang dapat at karapat-dapat sa amin. Ipataw mo ang desisyon na makatarungan  para naman magbago itong Pilipinas (Give us the justice we deserve. Serve us a just decision so that the Philippines will improve),” said Juliet Evardo, mother of UNTV video editor Jolito Evardo. She also asked Agra to look at the different sides of the case.

The victims’ families asked the cooperation of media to seek justice for the slain journalists. They urged the press to continue the fight with them. “Kaya kayong mga media hinahamon ko kayo, na ‘wag sana niyong [tigilan] ito. Kayo ang paraan para mag-ingay, para ilantad [ito] sa newspaper at TV (I am challenging the media to be the watchdog of this case. You will be the way for this to be broadcasted on newspapers and TV),” said Mary Jane Merisco, wife of Periodico Ini columnist Rey Merisco. “Kaya’t hinahamon ko kayo dahil nakasalalay din sa inyo ang hustisyang hinahanap namin (I challenge you (media) because we rely on you as we seek for justice),” she also added.

I remember in one of our discussions on our Journalism classes, our Professor said that if this case will not be solved and if in the coming years, justice will not be served, there will be no future for media men in our country. :'(

I hope the authorities will open up their mind and be fair in the decisions that they will make.
 J-U-S-T-I-C-E. Please. end Impunity.

We will never  forget. 11. 23. 09