Let thy glory be hailed, thy justice be done!
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| THE MEMORIAL ERECTED ON NPC GROUNDS FOR THE MARTYRS OF MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE |
November 23, 2011
Statement of National
Press Club
for 2nd
Anniversary of Maguindanao Massacre
Let thy glory be hailed,
thy justice be done
As the nation
pauses to re-trace the path and re-examine the circumstances that led to the massacre
of 57 persons, including 32 journalists, on November 23 two years ago in Sitio
Masalay, Barangay Salman, town of Ampatuan, Province of Maguindanao, and
discern the events that followed until today, the National Press Club is
overwhelmed by the compelling reason to confer on these martyrs the highest
honor the Club can give.
Thus, the NPC
erects a monument that will not only perpetuate the memory of their martyrdom.
This memorial also serves as a proud and substantive symbol to inspire the
present and future journalists to love, dedicate, and value press freedom, and
to educate them that death is not to be feared but to be accepted gloriously if
it comes in the line of journalism service as a rare chance of becoming heroes
of the cause of the liberty of expression.
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| SEAL OF PRESS FREEDOM IN PHL |
Many nations did
not become free without shedding of the blood and in all those occasions
journalists penned inspirations for the patriots to rise to freedom over and
above lives that may be lost. That was the same story for journalists Jose P. Rizal,
Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena that Noli Me Tangere, El
Filibusterismo, La Solidaridad and other literatures drove Andres Bonifacio to
light up the flame of revolution against Spain.
Similarly, the
deaths of these 32 men and women of pen and microphone have given pain but it will
not go in vain. Their murders that came
because of their faith in press freedom has lit up the strongest ever passion
among the Filipino press. It has awakened the nation that has long been naïve to
the cause of the liberty of the press to learn the indispensable need for it. Even the past administration despised by the
people was compelled to clip the wings of the murderers for fear of backlash
from the passion of the nation ignited by the impunity that was the most unbelievable,
most unacceptable, and most despicable.
As demonstrated
once more, the deaths of these journalists paved the way for press freedom to
beget other freedoms for the people and the community they serve. Their
martyrdom has given birth to other freedoms long been denied of the people of
Maguindanao. The gates of freedom were
opened for the living journalists to thrive in that land long been benighted
and bewildered by fear and rebellion. Vultures were shot down for democratic politics
to take over. The people there have now
more freedoms. The vivid proof of these statements
is the fact the deaths of these journalists crushed in one fell swoop the dynasty
of tyranny that reigned for a decade and this insurmountable barrier to liberty
was removed overnight.
The NPC knows these
slain journalists knew dangers were lurking ahead. Having covered the province and its officials
for years they knew the incumbents were outraged to have opponents in elections.
With more reason they knew the threats to
life were clear and present considering that the challenger was serious and one
who had the command of votes. These reporters
and editors knew of the warnings to kill Toto Mangudadatu if he pushed through
with the announced plan to file a certificate of candidacy for governor of
Maguindanao. Yet, despite all those
warnings more than enough for ordinary mortals to cower in fear, these martyrs
proceeded with covering the event of the filing of candidacy putting all faith
in the name of the press that it would be respected and leaving everything else
to God. In the end, it was written they were destined
to die for the people of Maguindanao and for the present and future
journalists.
Yes, no matter the
amount and substance of the words of accolades the NPC can give, these will not
assuage the pain the grieving families feel.
Yes, the NPC cries with the parents, spouses and children of the
journalists who perished in that most brutal impunity ever done against the
media in the book of time. Yes, the Club feels the extreme pain caused by
these deaths and the added insults caused by the slow grind of the Maguindanao
Massacre Trial. Yes, the NPC feels extremely sad the relatives
cannot expect justice in five or more years although it is assured of the determination
of the government prosecutors to move the wheels of justice at their will.
But the NPC believes
that behind these tears, the relatives understand that the country’s system
simply does not provide the speed they desire, like those demonstrated by the
laymen’s adjudicatory mechanism that produced judgment in five weeks in the jury
trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor, acquittal in six weeks of jury trial for a young
mother accused of drowning own daughter, acquittal of the most celebrated American
college girl in a couple of weeks of appeal jury trial in Italy, outright entry
of the guilty plea by a Filipino congressman afraid of the jury trial in Hong
Kong for bringing in drugs to that island, or conviction for a man who killed a
neighbor after only five days of jury trial in Japan.
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| SYMBOL OF PEOPLE'S JUSTICE SYSTEM |
The NPC believes
that patience is the twin brother of understanding. The
NPC believes that the relatives and the rest of the journalism world know that
even if the road to justness is long, winding and seemingly never- ending, the
journey is certain to end. And if it ends, the NPC is very sure justice waits
for the bold who pursueth. And if it will
come, justice will be the sweetest. The
bigger or the more the sacrifices given, the sweeter the victory will be.
Despite these extremely
depressing circumstances, the NPC assures the grieving families of its total
commitment to justice for the martyrs. It
will never stop until justice is served and the guilty are punished. The
NPC will never sleep at every turn and twist. It will do its best to do things it can to eliminate
obstacles on the way as it did in petitioning the Supreme Court to constitute
the present Maguindanao Massacre Trial court into a special court handling only
this case.
The only medicine
for injustice is justice. The only
reward acceptable for the martyrs is when the blood they spilled makes the
flowers of their faith bloom beautifully and dance freely with the wind like
the flag when not put down the pole.
On behalf of the
journalism community, the NPC expresses the profoundest gratitude to these
martyrs and their relatives. For sure, their lives were offered to the altar
of the goddess of the Press, like what the forefathers did in shedding blood to
fight for freedom from the hands of colonizers and invaders.
Let thy glory be hailed, thy
justice be done!
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| 16 OF THE 32 OR 33 JOURNALISTS WHO DIED MARTYRS IN THE NOV. 23, 2009 MASSACRE |
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