By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Journalists from the Visayas commemorated the victims of the Ampatuan massacre on Thursday, November 21, two days before the 15th anniversary of the tragedy.
A total of 24 journalists gathered at the massacre site in Barangay Salman, Maguindanao, lighting candles and offering prayers for the 58 victims, including 32 journalists, who were brutally killed on November 23, 2009.
The commemoration was part of the “Inside BARMM: A Walk Through the Bangsamoro Region” organized by MindaNews’ Mindanao Institute of Journalism.
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 all victims, especially Atty. Cynthia Oquendo Ayon and Catalino Oquendo from Aklan.
With the 2025 midterm elections approaching, Aguirre urged journalists to remain vigilant when reporting election-related issues in conflict-prone areas.
A journalist from Calbayog City, Samar, stressed the importance of safety and security in their work.
“I hope this situation will never happen again. It is disheartening that justice has yet to be fully served, and I hope people do not forget this atrocity,” she said.
Kaiser Jan Fuentes of MyTV Cebu called for “long overdue justice” for the victims and their families.
“I was only 10 years old when the incident happened. Now, at 25 and a full-fledged journalist, I see that we are still experiencing injustices. I hope no more violence occurs while we’re simply doing our jobs,” Fuentes said.
The 58 victims were part of a convoy traveling to file gubernatorial candidacy papers for Esmael Mangudadatu in Maguindanao.
The convoy was intercepted at a checkpoint by over 100 armed men associated with the Ampatuan political clan.
The victims were shot, and their bodies mutilated. Some female victims were reportedly raped.
The attackers used a government-owned backhoe to bury the bodies in mass graves.
In December 2019, a landmark ruling convicted several key perpetrators, including Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan, sentencing them to life imprisonment without parole.
