Visayas journalists remember victims of Maguindanao massacre

Visayas journalists joined the commemorative program on Thursday, November 21, remembering the victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Fifty-eight people, including 32 journalists, were killed in the world’s deadliest attack on journalists.

VISAYAN journalists light candles, offer flowers and pray to the 58 people, including 32 journalists, killed at the site of the Maguindanao massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, Thursday, November 21, 2024. (Tara Yap)

Journalists from Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas offered prayers, flowers and lit candles at the site of the massacre in Ampatuan City, Maguindanao del Sur province.

The event was part of “Inside BARMM: A Walk Through the Bangsamoro Region,” organized by the Mindanao Institute of Journalism, publisher of MindaNews.

Veteran Mindanao journalists Carolyn Arguillas and Froilan Gallardo spoke with Visayan journalists about what happened on November 23, 2009, the development of criminal cases and the impact of the massacre on journalism.

Some participants could not contain their emotions about what happened to their colleagues during the program.

Alex Pal from Dumaguete City, Negros Occidental, said journalists should visit the site. “First of all, this should never have happened,” Pal said.

All journalists were united in the program, calling for the restoration of complete justice.

Fifteen years later, only key figures, including former local officials Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019. Many suspects are still at large.