Life as a Catalyst » Mindanao

Online petition demands justice for Maguindanao massacre victims

Joey Alarilla — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:21:58 +0000

Here’s an excerpt from my CNET Asia blog post.

The online petition An Open Letter to Mdm Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines is now being circulated by Filipino Netizens on social networks and the Philippine blogosphere. This calls on the President to take firm steps to ensure that the guilty parties in the Maguindanao massacre will be punished and that private armies all over the country will be disbanded.

Yesterday, the primary suspect, who belongs to the powerful clan in Maguindanao that has strong political ties with the President, surrendered and was brought to Manila, where he is now detained at the National Bureau of Investigation.

Read the full story.

First exclusive video of site of Maguindanao massacre

Joey Alarilla — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:39:32 +0000

Here’s a video that ABS-CBN News posted on YouTube, showing the site of the Maguindanao massacre. Warning: this video may be disturbing.

You can also check out my CNET Asia blog post.

Of Maguindanao and how politicians use social media

Joey Alarilla — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:42:54 +0000

Here’s an excerpt from my CNET Asia blog post on this barbaric incident. May the victims rest in peace, and may the killers be brought to justice.

We are still in shock over yesterday’s massacre of civilians in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao in the run-up to the Philippine presidential elections in May 2010. The victims, who were beheaded, include at least 13 women, with the number of bodies recovered as of this writing already totaling 30.

Reporters Sans Frontieres has called the massacre a “dark day for press freedom” as at least 12 journalists were among the victims. On the social networking site Twitter, updates may be found using the hashtag #maguindanao.

Read the full story.