Speed up wheels of justice for Maguindanao Massacre victims

We urge the Philippine National Police to ensure the safety and protection of kin Maguindanao Massacre victims who have been reportedly receiving threats from anonymous entities. We also urge the Judiciary to speed up the wheels of justice in the case, which has yet to achieve more breakthroughs since Ampatuan Sr., his son, former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., his other son, Zaldy Ampatuan, the former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were implicated and jailed for the massacre.

The Maguindanao Massacre case will be the benchmark of how far our justice system has progressed from previous administrations, whether we like it or not. It is then extremely urgent that we exert all efforts to resolve this case as swiftly as possible.

The massacre of 58 people three years ago, most of which are journalists, is said to be the worst political violence that took place in the Philippines in recent history.

That act was so brazen and so dastardly—it is horrifying to think that anyone is capable of doing this, and yet it happened. We must not allow this massacre be trivialized and buried in the annals of our history by the slow grind of our wheels of justice.

It isn’t only the Ampatuans and their co-accused that are on trial here, but the entire system of justice. The failure to render a timely and just judgement is an indictment on the capacity of the nation to serve justice.

Para sa mga biktima ng Maguindanao massacre at mga naulila ng mga ito

Kasama ninyo ako at ang buong bayan sa pagluluksa at paggunita ng napakadilim na yugto na ito sa ating kasaysayan. Isang taon ang nakalipas at tila tumigil ang pag-ikot ng mundo, gaya ng pagtigil nito nang maganap ang 'di mapapatawad na krimeng nagbuwis ng 58 inosenteng buhay. Gagawin namin ang aming buong makakaya upang hindi makalimutan kailanman na, minsan, kayang maging halimaw ang taong hayok sa kapangyarihan at isipin na kaya nitong kumitil ng buhay na walang takot.

Bubuhayin natin ang ala-alang ito upang magsilbing babala na hindi na natin muling hahayaang magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng halimaw sa ating bayan. Gagawin rin natin ang buong makakaya upang ating makamit ang tunay na hustisya at muling buhayin ang pag-asa na sa ating bayan, bawat Pilipino ay pantay at patas sa mata ng batas.