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Fifteen years later, families of the victims continue to seek justice. While 44 suspects were convicted in 2022, 88 remain at large.
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Journalists from the Visayas region commemorated the victims of the Ampatuan massacre in the now-defunct province of Maguindanao on Thursday, November 21, two days before the tragedy’s 15th anniversary.
A total of 24 journalists gathered at the massacre site in Barangay Salman, Maguindanao del Sur, lighting candles and offering prayers for the 58 victims, including 32 journalists, who were killed on November 23, 2009.
The journalists were participants of the “Inside BARMM: A Walk through the Bangsamoro Region,” of the Mindanao Institute of Journalism. Other representatives include journalists from MindaNews, Media Impact Philippines, and International Media Support.
Fifteen years later, families of the victims continue to seek justice. While 44 suspects were convicted in 2022, 88 remain at large.
Jun Aguirre of Boracay Island News Network in Aklan prayed for eternal peace for the victims, particularly lawyer Cynthia Oquendo Ayon and Catalino Oquendo from Aklan.
With the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, Aguirre urged fellow journalists to be more vigilant when reporting election-related issues on conflict areas.
Gina Dean of Northwest Samar State University from Calbayog City, Samar emphasized the need for journalists to prioritize safety and security when reporting.
“I hope this situation will never happen again. It is disheartening that justice has yet to be served, and I hope people do not forget this atrocity,” she added.
Kaiser Jan Fuentes of MyTV Cebu has called for the “long overdue justice” for victims and the families they left.
“I was only 10 years old when the incident happened and now at 25, as a full-fledged journalist I know that we are still experiencing injustices and I hopr that no more violence will be experienced even though we are just doing our jobs,” he added.
Other participants reflected on the importance of press freedom and committed to continue upholding the values of truth and integrity in journalism.
The 58 victims were part of a convoy traveling to witness Esmael Mangudadatu file his certificate of candidacy for governor in Maguindanao.
Their convoy was stopped at a checkpoint, and the victims were forced up into the hills of Sitio Masalay, shot with high-powered firearms, and buried in shallow graves using a backhoe. – with reports from Jazmin Bonifacio/Rappler.com
