The Maguindanao Massacre from their perspective (Article Sample)

The Maguindanao Massacre from their perspective
The commemoration of the Maguindanao Massacre, of which a large group of journalists were killed, is closest to the hearts of Mass Communication students. Now that the trial has reached its third year, are they the only ones who should be concerned?
BS Economics major Joshua Siat and Industrial Engineering student Sandino Joves certainly won’t forget the graphic television images of lifeless bodies being lifted from the ground by a backhoe. Blurred, yes, but not enough to conceal the horrors of said inhumane execution.
Then a second year highschool student (who have been exposed to a number of violent films), Sandino thought he already knew what gory and grotesque really meant, until he saw the news about the Maguindanao Massacre. In disgust, Sandino recounts his reaction when he first heard of the unsettling news.
"Napamura talaga ako noong una kong nakita. Sa ilang taon kong pananood ng tv, at minsan lang ako manood ng balita, tapos ganun ang makikita ko?”
Likewise, it didn’t occur to his friend, Joshua, that such an "ancient history" type of mass-killing could ever take place in the Philippines, much more on November 23, 2009.
He recalls how Esmael Mangudadatu’s party was brutally ambushed on their way to filing a certificate of candidacy, allegedly by their rival political clan, the Ampatuans.
What the Committe on the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) saw, on the other hand, was the "single deadliest attack on the press" in world history, after 32 of the 58 people killed were journalists in their line of duty.
'Justice Delayed, Justice Denied'
Jouykovi Cruel, BA Landscape Architecture student, casts her doubts on the ability of the government to bring forth justice.
"Parang ‘di naman napagtutuunan ng pansin, kasi ang alam ko wala pang laws about political dynasties, tapos marami pa ring namamatay na journalists," she says.
That the government is composed primarily of the same political families exchanging seats of power, something she found out during discussions in her classes, makes her question the objectivity of the case.
None of the 196 individuals identified as suspects, including Andal Ampatuan, Jr., has been convicted while killings of possible state witnesses ensues.
"Hindi lang sa Maguindanao Massacre kundi sa iba pang mga kaso, makikitang napaka-flawed ng justice system dito sa Pilipinas. Justice delayed, justice denied. Habang pinapatagal ‘yung kaso, lalong pino-prolong ‘yung agony ng mga naapektuhang tao," Joshua explains.
To top it all off, Atty. Harry Roque, who handles the case on behalf of the victim's families, claims it will take 55 000 more years to conclude the trial.
"It was bad, it was really selfish," says Kyuyeon Lim, a Korean BA Psychology student after being told of the gist of the incident.
In 15 years of living in the Philippines, she noticed how "lazy" the government has been, "try[ing] to forget things.. [that are] important.”
"We had similar incidents in Korea, but they eventually come out in the news because a lot of reporters and journalists don't really care about money," she tells.
"They wouldn't try to hide things because they aren’t ...