Palace task force marks 15th year after Maguindanao massacre

MANILA, Philippines — On the 15th anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre that left 58 people dead, including 34 media practitioners, a Malacañang official assured that the government will continue to ensure that journalists can do their jobs of defending the truth without fear of reprisal.

In a statement on Saturday, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) honored the memory of the 58 victims of the 2009 bloodbath in Ampatuan, Maguindanao—the single deadliest attack against journalists in the country’s history.

“The administration of President Marcos vows continued support for the media in defending truth and addressing the demands of a modern press,” said the PTFoMS, led by its recently appointed Executive Director Jose Torres Jr.

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The agency also reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to protecting the lives and freedoms of journalists in the Philippines,” and appealed to all sectors of society to help uphold press freedom and protect journalists’ rights.

“A free press is essential to a functioning democracy, and we must all contribute to ensuring that journalists can do their jobs without fear of reprisal … We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that justice prevails, and that the Philippines remains a safe place for journalists to work,” the PTFoMS added.

On Nov. 23, 2009, armed men abducted and murdered 58 people accompanying the filing of the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu who was running for Maguindanao governor.

Mangudadatu was challenging Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of then Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., the patriarch of Mindanao’s leading Muslim political clan.

Andal and his brother Zaldy Ampatuan were later convicted to life imprisonment without parole for the 57 killings along with 28 co-accused, including policemen. The body of a 58th victim was never found.

The victims included Mangudadatu’s wife, his two sisters, media practitioners, lawyers, aides and motorists who witnessed the abduction or were mistakenly identified as part of the six-vehicle convoy.

The PTFoMS said the massacre “serves as a stark reminder of the dangers media workers face in pursuit of truth and accountability.”

The PTFOMs also renewed its commitment to strengthen its efforts to prevent and address media killings and violence, and enhance coordination among government agencies and media organizations, especially at the local level.