Twelve years after the Ampatuan Massacre that claimed the lives of 58 individuals, including 34 journalists, various student groups and campus publications conducted in-person and online protests and discussions to reiterate calls for press freedom and ending attacks and harassments against journalists.
Various groups also called for media vigilance ahead of the 2022 elections, relating to the nature of the massacre being the worst single-day murder of media workers and the worst case of election-related violence in the country’s history
College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) held a virtual discussion on “fearless journalism,” with Jose Mari Callueng, former CEGP National President and current member of the law student chapter National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) commenting on why such calls on press freedom should continue beyond the massacre:
“Hindi natin ito malilimutan at hindi natin dapat ito malimutan. Dapat magpatuloy pa tayong maningil ng hustisya because what they served is an initial victory, kasi hangga’t nandiyan pa rin yung threats on the lives of journalists, hangga’t nandiyan pa rin yung pagpatay sa mga mamamahayag on account of their truthful journalism ay wala pa ring hustisya para sa mga kagaya ng mga biktima ng Ampatuan Massacre,” said Callueng.
He also commented on the essence of having fearless media practitioners that should be critical of the existing system, highlighting the important role of journalists in the upcoming 2022 elections:
“Napaka-crucial ng eleksyon na ito. Hindi natin alam kung ano ‘yung future ng bansa sa ganitong eleksyon. Kaya naman mahalaga ang ating papel sa pagkilatis ng mga tumatakbo at nagnanais na maluklok sa kanilang mga position, and to verify the facts that they are presented to us,” Callueng said.
“Gone are the days that the Filipino journalist are just watchdogs. In this day and age, ang mga mamamahayag, […] dapat fearless na journalists, one that challenges the status quo, hindi lamang daluyan ng mga press releases, kundi ay kritiko ng mga ito,” Callueng said.
Publications and journalist alliances in various colleges and universities in Metro Manila also join the occasion by conducting their respective discussions and protests that seek to raise the calls for press freedom.
The Union of Journalists of the Philippines, along with several student organizations in the University of the Philippines-Diliman, conducted its annual Break Free campaign to discuss the situation of media and journalists amid a culture of impunity in the country, alongside its yearly commemoration of the Maguindanao Massacre.
“Sa gitna ng tumitindi at nagpapatuloy pang atake sa midya, lalo pa’t papalapit ang 2022 National Elections, at alam naman natin na ang Ampatuan Massacre din ang worst election-related media violence, kailangan nating maging mapagmatyag. Alam natin ang kakayanan ng mga naghaharing-uri, ng mga political dynasties na ito, at hindi dapat nating itigil ang pangangalampag para sa hustisya at para sa kalayaan ng pamamahayag,” UJP-UP Diliman Chairperson Pauline Alvarez said.
Students and campus journalists from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines also lit candles in front of the PUP-College of Communication gate to pay respects to those who have died from the massacre, while still holding their calls and signs on press freedom and ending impunity.
PUP-COC Student Council President Kassandra Abila commented on why the commemoration should also be a campaign against intensified attacks against the press:
“Kagaya nga ang patuloy nating panawagan ay ‘justice delayed is justice denied’. Habang pinapatagal natin ‘yung mga ganitong kaso, lalo lang dumadami ‘yung mga nangha-harass sa mga kapwa natin journo, lalong lumalakas […] ang loob ng mga paramilitar, ng mga state forces natin na mas mangharass pa ng mga journo kapag nalaman nilang hindi nabibigyang hustisya ang buhay ng mga kapwa natin journalist,” Abila said.
In a statement, the Alyansa ng Kabataang Mamamahayag ng PUP (AKM) is urging for a stricter piece of legislation for the protection of journalists, media practitioners and entities against the “cycle of violence and repression”:
“Ang laban para sa hustisya ng Maguindanao Massacre ay hindi natatapos sa pagpapakulong sa ilan pang suspek o sa mismong lungsod ng Maguindanao. Hindi matatapos ang paniniil sa paglumpo lamang sa mga Ampatuan. Kailangang bigyan ng pangil ang batas na pumoprotekta sa mga mamamahayag at tuluyang hindi pahintulutan ang anumang porma ng dinastiya sa gobyerno, na siyang ugat ng paghihirap ng mga mamamayan,” the Alliance said.
