Maguindanao massacre resolved — Unesco

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Maguindanao massacre has been “resolved,” according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Moez Chakchouk, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for communication and information, wrote Ambassador Theresa Lazaro acknowledging the efforts of the government to bring the suspects in the massacre to justice, Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), said.

A report of the Department of Foreign Affairs-United Nations and International Organizations to the PTFoMS noted that UNESCO is ready to provide support to the Philippines in the form of capacity-building for the judiciary on international standards regarding freedom of expression.

“With UNESCO acknowledging the finality of the Ampatuan massacre, we can proudly proclaim to the world that any violence against our media workers will never go unpunished. The so-called culture of impunity against journalists in the country has finally come to an end,” Egco said.

He expressed confidence that the country’s rank in the Global Impunity Index by the Committee to Protect Journalists will improve.

PTFoMS chairman and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and co-chairman and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar lauded UNESCO’s pronouncement.

“This is a testament to the administration’s steadfast resolve to protect our media workers against violence and to defend freedom of the press. We are grateful for this latest recognition given to the Philippine government by UNESCO,” Andanar said.