I personally dislike to voice out my opinions about issues like the Maguindanao Massacre for many reasons. One of these reasons hindering me to is probably the fear to end up as one of those journalists who were killed in the Massacre which now has the death toll of 57 as of writing.

Not only the media and press community in the Philippines is mourning upon this very unfortunate event–the whole Filipino society is. As a matter of fact, this particular event in that very fateful day in Maguindanao has even caught international attention.

But before we proceed, there are many things that we have to clarify.

There are indeed a lot of people who consider journalism as a life-threatening work–most especially when the subjects to be tackled are in the field of politics and government officials. The harms of the Journalism career become magnified when the need for field exposure in able to get a first-hand grip of the issue comes.

For sure, this massacre of journalists is sad but let me remind all of you that what happened in Maguindanao is not the first massacre that happened in the history of crimes since present administration. Hence, I do believe that this massacre is not an isolated case and there are still many unsolved similar cases at present day. What I am trying to say is, the journalists were not killed because they were journalist. The reason why they were killed was because they were in the same vans boarded by dozen other people who became victims of this horrendous massacre–they were in the same vans where the real target of the massacres are. Yes, we can cry out and need to seek justice for the journalists along with the other people involved, but I don’t think that whoever did this was after the journalists at all–but was after cleaning the place and to leave no witness behind.

Administration and Ampatuan Bond
The Philippine National Police (PNP) went a little inconsiderate and harsh on the case of one of the ABS-CBN reporters who is reported to have been involved in the tragedy because of what happened to said reporter’s wife. Said reporter is being accused of tampering evidences and obstruction of justice for failing in immediately reporting the gunning of his wife.

We also know how harsh and disrespectful the Philippine National Police became when they arrested him right there at the hospital when he was spending the last few moments of his wife with him–just the very time that his wife needs him the most.

A lot of people frowned on the arrest of Ted Failon when his wife committed suicide months ago for reasons that still remain blurry and undefined right now. And this explains my frustration as to why the authorities would arrest other irrelevant people instead of arresting suspects from the Ampatuan party. It is even more frustrating that instead of arresting suspects and putting them on hold in order for them not to escape anymore, the authorities are sending people from the Administration in order to discuss things that God-knows-what.

Buluan town vice mayor Ishmael “Toto” Mangudadatu claimed that he had a conversation with his wife who was one of the victims just minutes prior the massacre took place. Vice Mayor said that his wife noted that the Ampatuan Clan is behind everything. He also noted that his wife revealed to have been slapped by Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Aren’t these premises already ample evidence for them to assume that Ampatuan had a hand on this very hideous and unfortunate crime? Or do all these premises won’t have any bearing against the said perpetrators due to the Administration-Ampatuan link at the moment?

I mean, if even Ted Failon has been arrested with little evidence suggesting that he was involved to his wife death, why can’t they do the same to the Ampatuan? How come it was very easy for them to break someone else’s heart by taking him away from his wife presence while she was in her deathbed when he does not even have any idea about his wife’s murder? Is there a special treatment involved in handling this case? Or is there something else going on that we don’t know about?

I don’t know, and I really don’t want to know. For all that I wish to read and hear about is who is responsible for all of this and what the law is going to do with all involved people.

It is really a very inhumane act. No words can surely comfort and appease the families of the victims right now for the loss is merely very hard to take at the moment. Unfortunately, our words of sympathy for the victims’ families cannot reach much of a positive effect. What these families are lusting for is justice and enlightenment about the crime that destroyed not only the lives of the victims but also their own lives as well. And this justice that we all want to see taking place right now is nothing but in the hands of the Administration we have right now. The same Administration who is currently denying the progress of crime investigations for this massacre.

Another essential thing that we must all keep an eye on is Ampatuan’s potential plans of escaping via flying overseas. If ever this gets permitted by the government agencies who have the power to make people fly in and out of the country, then we can surely presume that there is something extremely fishy and dirty going on.

I hope you understand my opinion about this issue. Such uncorresponding actions from the Administration really make me doubt the stand of the Administration with regards to this crime. With such seemingly apathetic mechanisms after the crime, who is that rational person out there who will still believe and stand firm that the Administration is doing something still favorable?