| Ampatuan Massacre: 30 media workers write 30 |
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| by Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews | |
| Friday, 27 November 2009 19:38 | |
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KORONADAL, South Cotabato (MindaNews/27 November) -- Authorities stopped digging at the crime site on Wednesday night with 57 dead counted in Monday’s massacre in Ampatuan town, 30 of them from the media. But Rowena Carranza-Paraan of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said one media worker is still unaccounted for, Jolito Evardo, driver of UNTV in General Santos City. “Supt. Jose Garcia, head of the PNP ARMM Crime Lab said they stopped the search for bodies at the crime site in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town in the adjoining province of Maguindanao last Wednesday night.At least 57 persons were killed in last Monday’s massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. They were relatives of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, whose certificate of candidacy the convoy was supposed to have been delivered to the Commission on Elections provincial office in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, last Monday. The relatives, all female, were accompanied by two female lawyers and journalists. Koronadal City residents, where most of the murdered journalists lived, are still trying to understand the tragedy and violence. Streamers demanding justice for the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre are displayed in front of funeral homes where coffins of the victims lay. During a prayer rally attended by some 500 residents Wednesday night, Freddie Solinap, editor and publisher of the weekly Hiligaynon newspaper, Periodico Ini, told the crowd that five of his staff members died. “I did not know my whole staff had gone to join that fateful trip,” Solinap said. The staff members of Periodico Ini who died were identified as Rey Merisco, columnist (earlier mistakenly identified in police reports as a MindaNews member); John Caniban; Arturo Betia, marketing director, Noel Decina, circulation manager and reporter; Rani Razon, sales manager. The Cagayan de Oro-based also lost four correspondents in Koronadal and Tacurong cities. The 30 media workers: 1. Adolfo, Benjie, Gold Star Daily, Koronadal City 2. Araneta, Henry, Radio DZRH, General Santos City 3. Arriola, Mark Gilbert “Mac-Mac,” UNTV, General Santos City 4. Bataluna, Rubello, Gold Star Daily, Koronadal City 5. Betia, Arturo, Periodico Ini, General Santos City 6. Cabillo, Romeo Jimmy, Midland Review, Tacurong City 7. Cablitas, Marites, News Focus, General Santos City 8. Cachuela, Hannibal, Punto News, Koronadal City 9. Caniban, John, Periodico Ini, General Santos City 10. Dalmacio, Lea, Socsargen News, General Santos City 11. Decina, Noel, Periodico Ini, General Santos City 12. Dela Cruz, Gina, Saksi News, General Santos City 13. Dohillo, Eugene, UNTV, General Santos City 14. Duhay, Jhoy, Gold Star Daily, Tacurong City 15. Gatchalian, Santos, DXGO, Davao City 16. Legarte, Bienvenido, Jr., Prontiera News, Koronadal City 17. Lupogan, Lindo, Mindanao Daily Gazette, Davao City 18. Maravilla, Ernesto “Bart,” Bombo Radyo, Koronadal City 19. Merisco, Rey, Periodico Ini, Koronadal City 20. Momay, Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, Midland Review, Tacurong City 21. Montaño, Marife “Neneng,” Saksi News, General Santos City 22. Morales, Rosell, News Focus, General Santos City 23. Nuñez, Victor, UNTV, General Santos City 24. Perante, Ronnie, Gold Star Daily correspondent, Koronadal City 25. Parcon, Joel, Prontiera News, Koronadal City 26. Razon, Fernando “Rani,” Periodico Ini, General Santos City 27. Reblando, Alejandro “Bong,” Manila Bulletin, General Santos City 28. Salaysay, Napoleon, Mindanao Gazette, Cotabato City 29. Subang, Ian, Socsargen Today, General Santos City 30. Teodoro, Andres “Andy,” Central Mindanao Inquirer, Tacurong City Still unaccounted for: 1. Evardo, Jolito, UNTV General Santos City Lawyer Romel Bagares, executive director of the Center for International Law said the Ampatuan massacre took a heavy toll on community journalism. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews) Share this story through the following Social Media sites:            |
