CALAMBA CITY, Philippines – President Aquino vowed not to rest until “justice has been served” to the victims of the Maguindanao massacre.
The President, who wore a black armband, said yesterday there had been an assessment of the situation recently and officials agreed to maintain the state of emergency in Maguindanao as well as in Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City.
“The resolution of these cases has become the litmus test of our justice system. It is one of the top priorities of the justice department. Today we again offer our condolences to the families of the victims and vow to do everything in our power to achieve a timely resolution of this case and ensure that this does not happen again,” the President said in a statement.
In a press conference here after 3rd Annual Convention of the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, the President has decided not to lift the state of emergency in Maguindanao yet while authorities are still pursuing the suspects in last year’s massacre.
“I asked for an update on the case, how we can resolve this fast and we’re also looking at the output of the prosecutors. I think (Justice Secretary Leila de Lima) had spoken (Monday) on what they were doing to speed up the prosecution and resolution of the issue,” Aquino said.
“Our thoughts on the matter, the reason why we are sporting black armbands now, is in sympathy to all those who perished. They were really helpless. I think those who were killed directly were extremely oppressed as well as their families seeking justice. And if we’re going to have a symbology of obtaining justice, the Maguindanao massacre will be number one in our list,” he said.
The President said there were several factors considered as to why the state of emergency should not be lifted yet.
“But more than anything, you want the populace to feel at ease because we can still note incidents in spite of the fact that there is a state of emergency. We are also trying to arrest those missing. We also want to make sure that the firearms spread there are recovered by our forces. So not yet at this time,” he said.
Press holds indignation rally
Meanwhile, the National Press Club (NPC) yesterday led a motorcade of journalists around the city of Manila to condemn the massacre.
The motorcade started at 1 p.m. at the NPC office in Intramuros, Manila and was participated in by journalists.
A mock trial of the case and the burning of a backhoe model was scheduled at the NPC late in the afternoon.
The Philippine Center for Photojournalists (PCP) also held a rally in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to express their indignation.
Joan Bondoc, PCP president, said several members will shave their heads to express their sympathy to the victims and the families of the gruesome massacre.
Also yesterday, NPC president Gerry Yap petitioned the High Court to declare the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City Branch 221 a “special court that will hear the Maguindanao massacre cases only and to divest the same with all other pending and new cases until the Maguindanao massacre trial is terminated.”
“We will not stop until justice is served for the victims of massacre, we will closely monitor the case,” Yap said.
Several print, television and radio journalists wore black dress or black armbands while covering their respective beats to commemorate the first the anniversary of the carnage.
NPC and the Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag, headed by Benny Antiporda, also sought to allow the media to set up cameras and monitors outside the court.
In Baguio, journalists wore green and black to commemorate the massacre.
The event started with a prayer by 85-year-old Kalanguya “mambunong” (Cordillera native high priest) Ama Tayan Espada for the gods to help the quest for justice. Journalists offered two native chickens at a pine forest patch beside the Baguio Convention Center, which local journalists consider as hollowed ground.
“We gather here to remember and pray it will not happen again,” said veteran journalist Ramon Dacawi, 61, one of the elders and past president of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC).
Instead of putting up a cold stone marker in honor of the victims, media men wore black to signify their mourning and condemnation of the violence. – Sandy Araneta, Artemio Dumlao, The Freeman, AP