Kin of Maguindanao massacre victims cry for justice,  air disappointment with Aquino

PHOTO BY FRANCES MANGOSING

SIX years after 58 people were killed including 32 journalists in the infamous Maguindanao massacre, justice has yet to be served.

“Maawa naman po kayo…Malapit na umalis si PNoy [President Benigno Aquino III] sa kanyang katungkulan. Tulungan nito naman po kami. Maawa kayo sa amin pabalik-balik kami dito, sana ibigay niyo na sa amin ang hustisya,” said widow Monet Salaysay at a candlelight vigil in Mendiola on Monday to commemorate the killings of media people.

“Kawawa kami masyado. Ako nag a-absent dahil lang sa di matapos-tapos ang kaso. Pakiramdam namin nagbibingi-bingihan na lang. Tulungan niyo naman kami,” she added.

Aquino is stepping down from office in seven months.

The Ampatuan family in Maguindanao are accused of plotting the killings on Nov. 23, 2009 when their rival Governor Esmael Mangudadatu was on his way to file his certificate of candidacy in Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town.

No one has convicted for the killings.

The accused mastermind, Andal Ampatuan Sr. who had liver cancer, died last July from a heart attack.

Sonny Fernandez of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines expressed dismay at the slow pace of justice.

“Nakakalungkot at nakakagalit. Anim na taon mula ng maganap ang pinaka karumaldumal na krimen sa pamamahayag. Bagkus nadagdagan pa ng  33 sa administrasyong ito,” he said.

He said that Aquino’s legacy would be his big disrespect to press freedom, accountability and rule of law.

For the NUJP, the Ampatuan massacre is a symbol of his term: “a rutted, crooked path strewn with broken promises and a trail of blood.”

They said Aquino “has done nothing and simply does not care.”

Private lawyer Harry Roque, who represents some of the media victims, said that the administration does not respect the rights of the victims to justice.

“Nakakalungkot bagamat pinangako ni Presidente Noynoy na makakamit ang katarungan sa kanyang termino, alam natin na hindi magkakaroon ng katuparan,” he said.

Roque was optimistic that their “first in, first out method” would be considered.

In this method, the prosecution would be allowed to rest its case against some of the accused without waiting for the presentation of the “evidence-in-chief” against all of the accused.

“Umaasa na kami na yung mungkahi namin, yung dalawang magkapatid na Ampatuan mababasahan pa rin bago magkaroon ng bagong presidente. Ang leksyon dito ng Maguindanao eh hanggat maaari wag maging biktima dahil ang ating bayan hindi ginagalang ang karapatan ng mga biktima,” he said.