Journalists gather at massacre site today

MANILA, Philippines - Journalists from across the country will visit today the site of the carnage that left 58 people dead, including 32 media practitioners, as part of the second anniversary commemoration of the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) secretary-general Rowena Paraan said members of the Fourth Estate, representatives of peace advocacy groups and the relatives of media practitioners killed in the mass murder will offer prayers and light candles at the scene of the carnage in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town.

Paraan said they decided to mark the massacre’s second anniversary ahead of the provincial government’s scheduled activity tomorrow.

Maguindanao officials led by Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu will commemorate the second anniversary of the massacre at a monument he built in honor of the 58 people that perished in the carnage, including his wife, Jenalyn.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division has deployed soldiers to the site as part of security measures, said Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo.

Two years after the Maguindanao massacre, the military yesterday claimed it has tightened the system in recruiting militiamen.

“Because of what happened in Maguindanao, we have been very strict in the recruitment of CAFGU (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit) Active Auxiliaries or CAA,” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said.

Burgos said the organic personnel of the AFP are closely monitoring the operations of the CAAs, which serve as the force multiplier of troops in the field.

“In terms of recruitment, we are conducting thorough background check. This was done before but we have enhanced the screening process. We conduct more research (on the recruits),” he added.

Burgos said that aside from training, the CAFGUs were also given lectures on human rights.

“We have incorporated in their program of instruction subjects that deal with what happened in Maguindanao. We placed emphasis on human rights and rule of law,” he said.

Burgos said the training on human rights and the observance of international humanitarian law are in line with their internal security plan “Bayanihan” which took effect this year.

A total of 195 people have been implicated in the massacre, including members of the Ampatuan clan, members of civilian volunteer organizations, militiamen, and policemen.

Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, director of the Philippine National Police’s Task Force Maguindanao, said that so far, 95 of the 195 suspects have been accounted for.

Among the suspects who remain at large are nine policemen, four military personnel and 18 members of the Ampatuan clan.

Earlier, President Aquino ordered a review of the operations of militiamen amid claims that some of these militia units are involved in human rights violations. The review was intended to improve the training of militiamen and to ensure that they are insulated from partisan politics.

Militant groups have been calling for the abolition of the militia units, saying they are responsible for human rights violations and unexplained killings in the countryside.

The military has opposed the call, citing the security risks in some areas and the limited number of soldiers.

The Army supervises about 50,000 militiamen.

GMA’s woes far from over

Apart from poll fraud and plunder charges, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will likely face a case in connection with the Maguindanao massacre.

Widows of the massacre victims revealed yesterday their plan to file a P15-million civil suit against the ailing former leader for her alleged failure to prevent the incident by tolerating the Ampatuans’ militia group during her administration.

Their lawyer Harry Roque Jr. said his clients will seek P1 million in damages for each of the 15 families he represents.

“We believe that Gloria Arroyo was aware of the private army of the Ampatuans that was utilized in killing the victims of the massacre,” he said.

Roque, however, admitted that Arroyo could not be linked to the pending criminal case for lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, Roque and his clients also reiterated their appeal to the Department of Justice (DOJ) not to entertain detained former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan as state witness in the poll fraud case against Arroyo.

They met with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and handed over a three-page letter opposing the bid of Ampatuan to be accepted to the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

The widows expressed concern that Ampatuan, who was tagged as one of the perpetrators of the killing, may be included in the DOJ’s WPP now that the electoral sabotage case had already been filed in court.

Among the widows who met the DOJ chief were Ma. Cipriana Gatchalian, Ramonita Salaysay, Editha Tiamzon, Catherine Nuñez, Juliet Evardo, Arlyn Lupogan and Stephanie Cecille Lechonsito.

Evardo said Ampatuan may get away with the multiple murder case should the former ARMM governor be allowed in the WPP.

Evardo added the government should see to it that Ampatuan would be arraigned for his offenses since his indictment was already upheld by the Court of Appeals.

Mass for massacre victims

Meanwhile, the call for justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre has gained more advocates not only from the ranks of journalists, as Archbishop Paciano Aniceto holds a Mass in San Fernando, Pampanga tomorrow to coincide with the launching of the International Day to End Impunity (IDEI).

The NUJP-Pampanga chapter said it will issue a resolution asking the United Nations to adopt IDEI, which was initiated by the Canada-based International Freedom of Express Exchange (IFEX).

Journalists from Central Luzon will hold a ceremonial “die in” before the Mass in front of the Holy Rosary Cathedral here.

“The archbishop is expected to issue a circular regarding IDEI which was inspired by the call for justice in the Maguindanao massacre,” said Ashley Manabat, chairman of NUJP-Pampanga.

Aniceto will officiate the Mass at 10 a.m. for the 58 victims of the Maguindanao carnage, 32 of them journalists.

San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, a known human rights advocate, and representatives from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines in Central Luzon and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) are also expected to join the commemoration.

Fred Villareal, NUJP provincial vice-chairman, said they will hold a candle lighting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in front of city hall before proceeding to the cathedral for Mass.

IFEX was created in 1992 in Montréal, Canada and now has 95 independent organizations worldwide.

Villareal said the IDEI is also being supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Reporters without Borders, Confederation of ASEAN Journalists, Human Rights Watch and the Jakarta Freedom House. – With Alexis Romero, Edu Punay, Ding Cervantes