November 23, 2015. We solemnly, sorrowfully, observe the sixth anniversary of Philippine media’s own day that will live in infamy.
Nowhere in the world, not at any time in history had there been 32 media workers killed in one place, in a single day. Not to mention the 26 other civilians who perished along with them.
November 23, 2009. The evil of that day impacted in our minds, the tragedy befallen our colleagues inscribed in our hearts, the heinousness of it all troubling our very souls.
Six years have passed. Well beyond the one-year period of mourning Filipino tradition exacts on the bereaved. Of them to have moved on in the business of living.
But not to us.
Six years have passed. With the pain, the grief over our loss only increasing by the day. The nation embittered by the slowness of the justice system.
Six years have passed. And he, who promised at the start of his term to see justice be done to the Ampatuan Massacre victims, is but seven months shy of exiting, ingloriously.
His own watch seeing the killing of 30 more journalists, setting a record as “…a trail of blood redder, thicker, and worse compared to the number of work-related media murders per year under four other presidents before him, including his late mother Corazon ‘Cory’ C. Aquino and his immediate predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”
Leading the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to declare: “Under this administration, a large part of the blame should fall on Aquino, who has displayed a penchant for blaming practically everything wrong with his governance, or lack thereof, on the media, which can only embolden those who would impose the ultimate censorship – death – coupled with an utterly uncaring attitude towards the murders of journalists and human rights violations in general.”
Six years have passed. And still counting.
But there shall be no forgetting.
The mourning continues.
The struggle for justice remains unceasing.
The fight to end the culture of impunity that caused and effected the massacre unwavering.
Intensifying.
Heed us then the call to arms: “Do not go quietly into that good night…Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
To us the living is reposited that sacred duty until justice is done and the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre, as well as all the martyrs in the cause of press freedom shall truly rest in peace.
Anim taon na ang lumipas. Subali’t hindi pa rin tayo makakapag-babang luksa.
Patuloy ang panaghoy, kaakibat ang pagpapaigting sa pakikibaka. Hanggang ang katarungan ay ganap na makamtan.
Ang paglimot sa adhikaing ito, ang paglihis sa tungkuling ito ay paglapastangan sa kadakilaan ng pagbuwis ng buhay ng mga martir ng Maguindanao.
Matapos ang anim na taon, wala pa rin katapusan ang pagluluksa. Kaya’t walang kawakasan ang pakikibaka.
