GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/16 January) -- The primary and immediate issue in the November 23, 2009 massacre at Sitio Masalay in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao is: Will justice triumph over the wealth and power of Datu Andal Ampatuan and his clan? This is on test now. Watch and wait with bated breath.  

However, there are three other issues which are maybe lacking in the sensation and primacy of the justice issue but are significant. 

First: Should the event not be named “Masalay Massacre” after the sitio where it happened rather than “Maguindanao Massacre”?

Second: Can media institutions address satisfactorily the challenges arising from the event?

Third: Was compensating media massacre victims with government funds, as well as promising to give the same to other massacre victims, proper?

I. Masalay Massacre

The November 23, 2009 massacre has been called “Maguindanao Massacre” from Day One. Such a historic event, I believe, should be properly named after the sitio where it happened – hence, “Masalay Massacre.” History supports it.

Since the ancient times, historic events have been named after the specific places where they happened, unless most significant circumstances shaping the events prevailed. Just to mention a few:

In other parts of the world centuries past: the Battle of Marathon, 490 BC (not Attica); the Battle of Waterloo, 1815 (not Belgium); the Treaty of Paris (not France), 1783 (to end the American Revolution). In more recent times, the Bombing of Hiroshima (not Japan); last month, the Copenhagen (not Denmark) Conference on climate change.

In the Philippines: the Battle of Tirad Pass, the Cry of Balintawak, the Pact of Biak na Bato, the Massacre of Bud Dajo, the Massacre of Manili. All these have been named after the specific places where they happened.

But “Maguindanao Massacre” is already widely known. If we changed Philippine Independence Day to “June 12” because we believed that to be the correct date according to our history, not “July 4,” why can’t we change ”Maguindanao” to “Masalay” since the latter is more proper.

To gradually wean away the public already used to “Maguindanao” media can use for a while the long phrase “Masalay Massacre” in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. Soon the proper name will sink in the public mind.

In particular, media have more specific questions to discern and address. (1) How many media people perished? (2) Why were that many media people involved in such a routine election event? (3) What has the Masalay Massacre brought out for media institutions to consider seriously? (4) What must media institutions do?

How Many?

On December 16, 2009, MindaNews posted the list I collated and consolidated from the Partial List published in Inquirer.net on November 25, 2009 and the President’s Report to Congress dated December 4, 2009. The Consolidated List had 33 names of media massacred victims. To it was added the name of missing media man Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay to raise to 34 the total number of media victims.

The same Consolidated List was reprinted in our COMMENTt “Massacre Victims: 65 – Period” (MindaNews, December 18, 2009). Evidently, both the Inquirer.net Partial List and the President’s Report were inaccurate. The Consolidated List was intended to invite the attention of local media executives with the hope they would correct the inaccuracies and validate it. 

Nothing came from the local media executives. However, the Freedom for Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ)* conducted a fact-finding mission, November 24 to December 30 and its Report listed 31 names of media massacre victims. The list is reprinted below as FFFJ Validated List to correct our Consolidated List.

*[NOTE: The FFFJ is composed of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Center for Freedom, Media and Responsibility; Center for Community Journalism and Development; Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas; Philippine Press Institute; and the US-based Philippine News. The FFFJ Mission was in partnership with the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, MindaNews, and the Free Legal Assistance Group together with its affiliate, the Union of People’s Lawyers for Mindanao.]

                                                            FFFJ Validated List

The list-- rearranging the original FFF List -- is according to the media organs the journalists were affiliated to. Indicated are the number of victims from each organ and city where the journalists were based – General Santos  City (GSC), Koronadal City (KC), Tacurong City (TC), Davao City (DC) and Cotabato City (CC).

Gold Star Daily (4): Benjie Adolfo, KC; Rubello Bataluna, KC); Jhoy Duhay, TC; Ronnie Perante, KC; dzRH (1): Henry Araneta, GSC; UNTV (4): McDelbert “Mac-Mac” Ariola, GSC; Jolito Evardo, GSC; Victor Nuñez, GSC; Daniel Tiamson, GSC;  Periodico Ini (5): Arturo Betia, GSC; John Caniban, GCC; Noel Decina, GSC; Rey Merisco, KC; Fernando “Ranny” Razon, GSC;

Midland Review (2): Romeo Jimmy Cabillo, TC; Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, TC (the body still unfound); News Focus (2): Marites Cablitas, GSC (also of dxDX); Rosell Morales, GSC;  Punto News (1): Hannibal Cachuela, KC; Socsargen News (1): Lea Dalmacio, GSC; Saksi News (2): Gina dela Cruz, GSC; Marife “Neneng” Montaño, GSC; DXGO (1): Santos Gachailan, DC;

Prontiera News (2):  Bienvenido Legarte, Jr., KC; Joel Parcon, KC; Mindanao Daily Gazette (1):  Lindo Lupogan, DC; Bombo Radyo (1): Ernesto “Bart” Maravilla, KC; Manila Bulletin (1): Alejandro “Bon Reblando, GSC; Mindanao Gazette (1): Napoleon Salaysay, CC;  Socsargen Today (1): Francisco “Ian” Subang, GSC; Central Mindanao Inquirer (1): Andres “Andy” Teodoro, TC. 

The 31 media massacre victims were affiliated with 17 media organs. Of this number, 16 were from General Santos City; eight from Koronadal City; four from Tacurong City; two from Davao City; and one from Cotabato City. 

Removed from the Consolidated List were: Jovy Lagarta (alive, who was included in the Inquirer.net partial list); Eugene Depillano (in GMA Report); Councilor Razul Daud (in INQ.net list), who must be “Rasul Daud”, the driver of Assemblyman Toy Khadafeeh of Sultan Kudarat (MindaNews, November 23); Boyet dela Cerna (not Cruz) and Art Mascardo (both in INQ.net pastial list but not in FFFJ list)

Five names are deleted from the 34 in the Consolidated List, leaving 29. But two in the FFFJ list are not in the Consolidate Listed – Jolito Evardo and Daniel Tiamson, both of UNTV. The validated final total of media massacre victim is 31.

The final note: If Eugene Depillera, Boyet dela Cerna and Art Mascardo are really media massacre victims, their families should bring the omission to the attention of FFFJ. Their employers can do the same.

Questions

Have the families of the 31 media massacre victims gotten their “consolation money” or indemnity from the government? A media executive in General Santos City said all did. Each was supposed to get P100,000 from the Presidential Staff; P30,000 from Secretary Dureza; and P10,000 from the Department of Justice or a total of P140,000 (MindaNews, December 1, 2009).

If each of the 31 received P140,000, that would have been P4,340,000 in tax money. Did each really do?

Did Malacañang and the Department of Justice distribute the over P4 million using the FFFJ validated list or from their own list? How many received P140,000 based on their lists?  These are sensitive questions. But the taxpayers have the right to the correct answers.

This much the tax payers should expect from Malacañang and the Department of Justice for the sake of fairness, transparency and accountability. (To Be Continued)

("Comment" is Mr. Patricio P. Diaz' column for MindaViews, the opinion section of MindaNews. The Titus Brandsma Media Awards recently honored Mr. Diaz with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" for his "commitment to education and public information to Mindanawons as Journalist, Educator and Peace Advocate." You can reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

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