Journalists from print and broadcast media in Dumaguete City took time out from their busy schedules to commemorate the second year anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre and to throw support to other national and international media groups for the observance of the 1st International Day to End Impunity.
The Dumaguete journalists planted 58 trees in honor of the 58 victims, including 32 journalists, who died in the bloody massacre in Maguindanao allegedly by members of the powerful Ampatuan clan, police and military personnel and even armed members of civilian volunteer organizations.
The tree planting activity was held at a hillside in Barangay Puhagan, Valencia town in Negros Oriental, inside the Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field of the Energy Development Corp. The indigenous tree seedlings planted include Tuway, Alinsulang and Bongabong varieties.
A simple candle-lighting ceremony and silent prayers to honor the 58 victims were also held, as a joint statement of the media group was also read by National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Dumaguete Chapter chairperson Alex Rey Pal, publisher of the Dumaguete MetroPost and NBN-10 TV station manager.
He said the media in the provinces have not forgotten the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre.
Along with other media groups and families of the victims in the country, the 11 Dumaguete media practitioners in their joint statement also called for justice for victims of extra judicial killings, including journalists.
Pal said he strongly believes that commemorating the second year anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre would serve as a constant reminder to all media practitioners to call for an end to impunity in the country.
It is also a challenge for members of the media to continuously show force and claim justice for journalists who are victims of extra judicial killings.
“We are doing this activity to show our solidarity with the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre, especially our brothers and sisters in the profession. We are also doing this to help dramatize the call for justice for the victims, as well as for all the journalists who have been killed in line with their professional calling. Through these trees, we give life to the memory of the victims and we hope to encourage the families not to lose hope in their quest for justice.”
Aside from Pal, other members of the media present during the activity were Philippine News Agency-Dumaguete Bureau Chief Mary Judaline Flores-Partlow, Skycable TV news reporter Juancho Gallarde, Metropost Managing Editor Irma Faith Pal, Fil Products TV reporter Maricar Aranas, GMA-7 correspondent Victor Camion, DYWC-AM reporter Jufill Mira, Visayan Daily Star-Negros Oriental Bureau Chief Rene Genove, DYRM-AM anchorman Syril Repe, MetroPost photo journalist Melissa Alexandra Pal, and DYGB correspondent Cesar Bitong.
The activity was done with the support of the Energy Development Corp. through Engr. Dwight Maxino, vice president for operations and SNGP resident manager. (PNA/JFP/Maricar Aranas)
