The GUIDON’s official statement on the Maguindanao massacre
On the 23rd of November 2009, 57 individuals—30 of which were members of the media—were ambushed, brutally murdered, and hastily buried in mass graves in the town of Ampatuan, Maguindanao. When the massacre occurred, the victims were on their way to the town of Shariff Aguak to file Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao.
As the official student publication of the Ateneo De Manila University, The GUIDON condemns in the strongest possible terms the atrociousness and the cruelty of the Maguindanao massacre. We are one with the Ateneo community in offering sympathies to the fate suffered by our fellow Filipinos.
The Maguindanao massacre admittedly hit too close to The GUIDON, with 30 journalists dying in the line of duty. Covering elections has always been a dangerous assignment for journalists, but this, by far, is the largest number of journalists killed in one attack.
However, The GUIDON, as a publication rooted in the pillars of journalistic excellence, still continues to commit itself in upholding the values of ethical and responsible journalism. Despite the huge impact of this killing in Philippine media, we call on local media organizations to exercise discretion and responsible reporting in their coverage of the massacre.
Through the years, political killings have been an issue in Mindanao. Innocent civilians get killed and more families suffer from ancestry-related wars. But they remain neglected by the Manila-centered media. What sets the Maguindanao massacre apart is the many norms it broke. Even with the Muslim culture, women were blatantly killed and journalists who only serve as messengers were included in the murder.
The GUIDON also calls on Filipino journalists to give importance to the issue of political and extrajudicial killings, not only because fellow journalists are concerned, but more because fellow Filipinos are deprived of basic human rights.
In the first few days after the killings, several media outlets have also taken a biased stance against the Ampatuans, heavily suggesting their involvement in the killings. While there is mounting evidence implicating the latter, we believe that until proven guilty by the law, they shall remain merely suspects. As a fully-functioning student publication, The GUIDON continues to be in the business of truth-telling.
This massacre brings to light the unhealthy political state in many portions of our country where clan wars, dynasty rule, and private armies enforce the will of their ruling leaders. Instead of allowing law and democracy to run its course, violence is often preferred.
Committing a crime of this degree, one that claimed 57 lives, says something about our flawed justice system. The government’s efforts in solving the case are slow and largely disappointing. A declaration of martial law over Maguindanao, which until now is contested for its constitutionality, would have not been necessary should the judiciary system acted on the issue fast enough and close political allies neglected.
Thus, The GUIDON also calls on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to give more importance to the welfare of the many Filipinos affected than with the long-standing dynasty of the Ampatuans. We ask her to act on the issue fairly because we believe that failure to touch her allies would equal to conflict of interest on her part.
The crime has already been committed. Bodies have been buried, blood has been shed and families have lost loved ones. But the Maguindanao massacre is not an isolated case. It is a product of the government’s failure to quash private armies and its consistent unsuccessful punishment of the perpetrators.
The day will come that the Maguindanao massacre will be old news. It would no longer front the headlines. We could always bury the issue in our memories but the call for justice and healing for the victims’ families continues to prevail.
Now, we are still in the process of healing, recovery and moving on. The massacre will remain eternally as a dark, bloody stain in the history of Philippine politics and journalism.
Thus, The GUIDON encourages Filipinos to always remember that we all have the duty to fight for justice and equality, ensuring that nothing like this will ever succeed again to leave a mark on our history.
On the 23rd of November 2009, 57 individuals—30 of which were members of the media—were ambushed, brutally murdered, and hastily buried in mass graves in the town of Ampatuan, Maguindanao. When the massacre occurred, the victims were on their way to the town of Shariff Aguak to file Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao.
As the official student publication of the Ateneo De Manila University, The GUIDON condemns in the strongest possible terms the atrociousness and the cruelty of the Maguindanao massacre. We are one with the Ateneo community in offering sympathies to the fate suffered by our fellow Filipinos.
The Maguindanao massacre admittedly hit too close to The GUIDON, with 30 journalists dying in the line of duty. Covering elections has always been a dangerous assignment for journalists, but this, by far, is the largest number of journalists killed in one attack.
However, The GUIDON, as a publication rooted in the pillars of journalistic excellence, still continues to commit itself in upholding the values of ethical and responsible journalism. Despite the huge impact of this killing in Philippine media, we call on local media organizations to exercise discretion and responsible reporting in their coverage of the massacre.
Through the years, political killings have been an issue in Mindanao. Innocent civilians get killed and more families suffer from ancestry-related wars. But they remain neglected by the Manila-centered media. What sets the Maguindanao massacre apart is the many norms it broke. Even with the Muslim culture, women were blatantly killed and journalists who only serve as messengers were included in the murder.
The GUIDON also calls on Filipino journalists to give importance to the issue of political and extrajudicial killings, not only because fellow journalists are concerned, but more because fellow Filipinos are deprived of basic human rights.
In the first few days after the killings, several media outlets have also taken a biased stance against the Ampatuans, heavily suggesting their involvement in the killings. While there is mounting evidence implicating the latter, we believe that until proven guilty by the law, they shall remain merely suspects. As a fully-functioning student publication, The GUIDON continues to be in the business of truth-telling.
This massacre brings to light the unhealthy political state in many portions of our country where clan wars, dynasty rule, and private armies enforce the will of their ruling leaders. Instead of allowing law and democracy to run its course, violence is often preferred.
Committing a crime of this degree, one that claimed 57 lives, says something about our flawed justice system. The government’s efforts in solving the case are slow and largely disappointing. A declaration of martial law over Maguindanao, which until now is contested for its constitutionality, would have not been necessary should the judiciary system acted on the issue fast enough and close political allies neglected.
Thus, The GUIDON also calls on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to give more importance to the welfare of the many Filipinos affected than with the long-standing dynasty of the Ampatuans. We ask her to act on the issue fairly because we believe that failure to touch her allies would equal to conflict of interest on her part.
The crime has already been committed. Bodies have been buried, blood has been shed and families have lost loved ones. But the Maguindanao massacre is not an isolated case. It is a product of the government’s failure to quash private armies and its consistent unsuccessful punishment of the perpetrators.
The day will come that the Maguindanao massacre will be old news. It would no longer front the headlines. We could always bury the issue in our memories but the call for justice and healing for the victims’ families continues to prevail.
Now, we are still in the process of healing, recovery and moving on. The massacre will remain eternally as a dark, bloody stain in the history of Philippine politics and journalism.
Thus, The GUIDON encourages Filipinos to always remember that we all have the duty to fight for justice and equality, ensuring that nothing like this will ever succeed again to leave a mark on our history.
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