EV journalists commemorate 5th yr of Ampatuan Massacre

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Media practitioners in Eastern Visayas joined the commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the Ampatuan, or Maguindanao, massacre that killed 32 journalists.

The local journalists lighted 32 candles and offered prayers at the Noblejas Junction, along Justice and Real Streets in this city, asking for justice to be served soon to the murdered journalists while covering an event in Maguindanao.

National Press Club-Tacloban Chapter president Eileen Ballesteros said the media here slammed the impunity of those in power, while strongly denouncing the recent killing of Dennis Sakal, a vital witness to the massacre. “We are hoping there will be no more killing of witnesses,” she said.

Half of a decade had passed and no justice was yet obtained by the bereaved family of the massacre victims, Ballesteros said, adding that the government must do something about this.