MANILA, Philippines — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has classified the Maguindanao massacre cases as “ongoing/unresolved” from "resolved," following the appeal of families of slain media victims and Filipino organizations and journalists.
UNESCO Deputy Director-General Xing Qu said they have learned that appeals on the Maguindanao massacre cases have been launched.
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Qu, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for Communication and Information, also said that the voices of the families of the victims should be taken into account “for the due process of law to be preserved in line with international human rights standards.”
“Based on this new information, the legal cases concerned will, therefore, be maintained as ‘ongoing/unresolved’ in the UNESCO Observatory of killed journalists, as well as in the upcoming ‘Director-General’s Report on Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity’ until such a moment when a final verdict is reached by the Philippine judicial system,” the UNESCO official added.
This was the UNESCO’s response to a letter sent by Freedom for Media, Freedom for All Network, JUSTICE NOW—the organization of the families of the 32 slain journalists, and more than 100 individuals. FMFA includes the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, MindaNews, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the Philippine Press Institute.
FMFA: Maguindanao massacre case far from resolved
FMFA urged the UNESCO to review the earlier statement of its Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information Moez Chakchouk that the Maguindanao massacre is deemed “resolved.”
They asserted that case is far from resolved. “It is unfortunate that UNESCO’s conclusion appears to have relied solely upon government claims, without consideration for the other facts and contexts surrounding the case—a glaring oversight,” their letter to UNESCO read.
FMFA also said it is distressing that Chakchouk’s letter was used by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to paint a misleading picture of press freedom in the country when 16 journalists were killed under the present administration and Duterte continues to openly expresses his disdain for free and independent media.
The historic ruling and continuing quest for justice
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 on December 19 handed down its historic ruling on the gruesome 2009 massacre that found Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his brother Zaldy guilty of 57 counts of murder. Dozen others were also found guilty for murder and as accessories to the crime.
Appeals have since been launched, including from the Ampatuans for the reversal of the guilty verdict.
The family of Reynaldo Momay, the 58th victim of the Ampatuan massacre but whose murder case against suspects was junked, filed a Notice of Appeals before the Quezon City court. This was to inform the court that they intend the raise to the Court of Appeals both the criminal and civil aspects of the case.
But the quest for justice continues as other suspects remain at large.
RELATED: 2 massacre suspects nabbed after Ampatuan verdict to face trial
At the time that Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes issued the ruling, 80 of the accused were still at large.
Law enforcers have since arrested more suspects and trials have been set at the QC court. — Kristine Joy Patag