Cebu journalists hold protest march to decry Maguindanao massacre

Over 100 members of the media in Cebu showed their indignation against the gruesome murders of 57 innocent people including 34 journalists last Monday morning in Maguindanao in a protest march held this morning amid Malacañang’s declaration of November 26 as a ‘National Day of Mourning’ for the victims of Maguindanao.

Majority of the media wore black shirts and some carried placards that read “Ang media atong higala, dili nato patyon,” (The media are our partners, we should not kill them) and ‘Protect the Fourth Estate: Media” as they walked several hundred meters away from JY Square in Lahug to the Marcelo Fernan Press Center in Sudlon, Cebu City for a short program.

Elias Baquero, president of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) behind the protest rally said “The media cry for justice for the murder of their colleagues. What happened in Maguindanao last Monday has put the Philippines in the limelight not just in the Philippines, but in the international scene because this is the first time that an estimated 34 journalists at the latest count were killed in a single day, and by the same perpetrators. Such a horrible crime committed by heartless people.”

“NO word can appositely express the gloom and grief the whole country is experiencing right now. We are tormented as a nation and as a people. The victims and their loved ones cry for justice,” Baquero read the statement of his group.

The statement is part of the CFBJ resolution condemning the massacre of the members of the media in Maguindanao. CFBJ is an umbrella organization of nine other media groups in Cebu namely the Regional Journalists in Cebu (RJC), City Hall Association of Reporters in Media (CHARM), Capitol Association of Reporters in Tri-Media (CART), Cebu Economic Journalists Association (CEJA), Sports Correspondents, Defense and Police Corp. Reporters, Media Association for Life, Liberty, Equality and Truth (MALLET), Media in Cebu South, Association of Reporters in Mandaue and Lapulapu City for Integrity, Truth and Equality and LENS composed of Cebu’s photographers.

Baquero said the plan to hold a protest rally was just inked yesterday and that just through text, they asked every colleague and other individuals to join them in expressing their public outrage against the “worst killing in the history of journalism in the world.”

“Despite the very short notice, we were able to gather a huge number of our colleagues today and for that, we want to thank you,” Baquero said as he added that he never doubted the support and sentiments of the Cebu media in condemning the massacre of their colleagues and innocent civilians in Mindanao.

Some of Cebu’s leading media personalities also showed up like Atty. Pachico Seares of Sun Star Daily, Bobby Nalzaro of GMA-7, Atty. Frank Malilong Jr. of The Freeman and Atty. Ruphil Bañoc of Radio Mindanao Network.

Rep. Eduardo Gullas and Cebu City Sylvan Jakosalem also showed their support. Gullas family founded Cebu’s oldest daily The Freeman while Jakosalem is the head of FM Radio Station Y101.

Nalzaro called on the government for the swift resolution of the heinous crime and all cases that involved the killings of the media.

“What happened in Mindanao is more worse than in Iraq where in a country of war, only one journalist in an incident is reported killed in the crossfire or one or two members of the media being kidnapped” unlike in Maguindanao, 34 journalists were killed in one day, according to Nalzaro.

The Philippines is now tagged as the most dangerous place for media by the International Federation of Journalists because of the brutal incident. The international media has even tagged the Philippines as worst than Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon and Serbia because these countries are at war and that the protagonists respect the media, according to the CFBJ resolution.

Malilong who read the statement of the Cebu Media Legal Aid (CEMLA) said “The Maguindanao massacre already stands out for its sadistic brutality and cruelty and utter contempt of the state’s will. What may still enhance its record of inhumanity is when the Government fails to mete out the punishment the perpetrators justly deserve.”

“We don’t call for the lynching of the suspects although many of our people may want that. We demand though that the apparatus of law and order and the wheels of justice move swiftly, unimpeded by the guiles of wealth and power,” Malilong ended.

Seares also urged members of the media to exhibit neutrality and not show any bias towards any politico especially with the upcoming national elections in 2010. Although he added that even if the victims were not media people, the incident should be abhorred to its highest degree because as ordinary individuals and citizens of this country “we are entitled to safety and protection from the government.”

Radio commentator Choy Torralba also issued a statement and said “the incident serves as an awakening for all of us especially with the upcoming polls to choose our leaders wisely.”

Pres. Arroyo earlier placed three Mindanao provinces on ’state of emergency’ namely tMaguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City. (PIA)