Journalists, victims' kin commemorate Maguindanao carnage

MANILA, Philippines - Local and international media groups will hold various activities on Friday, a day before the commemoration of the 4th anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre.

The members of the groups, led by the National Press Club of the Philippines, Confederation of Asean Journalists, Burgos Media Center, and militant organization Bayan-National Capital Region, will stage a wreath-laying and candle-lighting ceremony around 10 a.m. at the NPC grounds in Intramuros, Manila.

Journalists, along with relatives of the carnage victims, will unveil the 11-foot "impunity backhoe" effigy during the ceremonies.

On November 23, the groups will also stage a torch parade from the NPC grounds to the Don Chino Roces Bridge in Mendiola, where they will burn the 11-feet effigy.

The groups will protest the slow progress of the case and serving of justice to the 59 massacre victims including 32 journalists.

The multiple murder case is still being heard at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Some of the principal accused in the case, members of the powerful Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao, are now detained at Camp Ricardo Papa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Around 100 other accused, believed to be members of the private army of the Ampatuan family, remain at large.

On Nov. 23, 2009, some supporters, relatives of then Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, accompanied by 32 local journalists and media workers, were flagged down at a checkpoint in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao.

The 58 victims were then forcibly taken to a remote area where they were shot to death by the henchmen of Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of then Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

Some of the victims' cadavers were recovered from their vehicles, which were hurriedly buried on the ground using a backhoe.