JOURNALISTS pledging memberships with the provincial chapters of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc. (ZPPI) recently held its candle-lighting tribute to the fallen journalists in Maguindanao.
NUJP chapter president Hirohito Cadion said the activity also called to mind the lives and advocacy of the five Pagadian journalists killed in the line of duty since the 1990’s.
Cadion identified the five as publisher Billy Yu (1998), Olympio Jalapit (1999), Edgar Damalerio (2001), Edgar Amoro (2005) and Rolly Cañete (2006).
The lighting of candles was done in front of the Jose Rizal Monument near Plaza Luz and joined by members of the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace, students, churchgoers and some media members from Ozamiz City.
The activity form part of the week-long annual celebration of the Mindanao Week for Peace, which ran from Nov. 6 to Dec. 2.
Cadion, in a statement relayed to this paper, said the condemnation and the protest of Pagadian journalists will not end up with the burial of the 30 working journalists slain in Maguindanao but will continue until justice will be served.
It can be recalled that of the five media practitioners killed in the Pagadian City, only the case of Edgar Damalerio earned justice with the arrest and prosecution of the supposed suspect.
Meanwhile, Ozamiz journalists were also indignant over the killing of their colleagues in Maguindanao and called for the need to initiate a treaty among politicians as a promise not to repeat the gruesome incident.
Led by NUJP chapter president Ryan Rosauro of Philippine Daily Inquirer and Jovencio Godoy Jr. of the national directorate, the journalists gathered for a 30-minute prayer vigil outside the city metropolitan cathedral and voiced out their call.
“Let us try hard not to sacrifice innocent lives in the political process or action. With what was happening in Maguindanao, I think there should be distinction but we saw none,” Godoy said.
“Atoang iampo nga maundang ni kay kung magpadayon ni, nagtoo ko nga wala nay mag-media pa nga mubarog ug modala sa tingog sa katawhan kay lungguan man sa ulo og dili mauyunan ang ilang baruganan,” he added.
“Atong panawagan ngadto sa mga politiko: di magdayon ang panagbingkil. Mahimo nga ang manag-away karon managsuud sa sunod ug vice versa. Hunongon na nato kini nga cycle of violence nga maoy nagpatigbabaw dinhi sa ato,” Godoy continued.
“After all, sa mga politiko, ang pagpapili para man mangalagad, dili ang mohawod sa katilingban. Himuon nato nga matarong. Ang pagpatay s mga kaaway sa politika pagpangalagad lamang sa atong kaugalingon ug sa atong katuyan.
The journalists then called on the community to exercise the same vigilance. “Tabangan ninyo kami kay kung mawala na ang mga mensahero nga nagdala sa inyong mga tingog, mahimo na nga walay bili ang atong pagpuyo niining kalibutan,” they said.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
NUJP chapter president Hirohito Cadion said the activity also called to mind the lives and advocacy of the five Pagadian journalists killed in the line of duty since the 1990’s.
Cadion identified the five as publisher Billy Yu (1998), Olympio Jalapit (1999), Edgar Damalerio (2001), Edgar Amoro (2005) and Rolly Cañete (2006).
The lighting of candles was done in front of the Jose Rizal Monument near Plaza Luz and joined by members of the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace, students, churchgoers and some media members from Ozamiz City.
The activity form part of the week-long annual celebration of the Mindanao Week for Peace, which ran from Nov. 6 to Dec. 2.
Cadion, in a statement relayed to this paper, said the condemnation and the protest of Pagadian journalists will not end up with the burial of the 30 working journalists slain in Maguindanao but will continue until justice will be served.
It can be recalled that of the five media practitioners killed in the Pagadian City, only the case of Edgar Damalerio earned justice with the arrest and prosecution of the supposed suspect.
Meanwhile, Ozamiz journalists were also indignant over the killing of their colleagues in Maguindanao and called for the need to initiate a treaty among politicians as a promise not to repeat the gruesome incident.
Led by NUJP chapter president Ryan Rosauro of Philippine Daily Inquirer and Jovencio Godoy Jr. of the national directorate, the journalists gathered for a 30-minute prayer vigil outside the city metropolitan cathedral and voiced out their call.
“Let us try hard not to sacrifice innocent lives in the political process or action. With what was happening in Maguindanao, I think there should be distinction but we saw none,” Godoy said.
“Atoang iampo nga maundang ni kay kung magpadayon ni, nagtoo ko nga wala nay mag-media pa nga mubarog ug modala sa tingog sa katawhan kay lungguan man sa ulo og dili mauyunan ang ilang baruganan,” he added.
“Atong panawagan ngadto sa mga politiko: di magdayon ang panagbingkil. Mahimo nga ang manag-away karon managsuud sa sunod ug vice versa. Hunongon na nato kini nga cycle of violence nga maoy nagpatigbabaw dinhi sa ato,” Godoy continued.
“After all, sa mga politiko, ang pagpapili para man mangalagad, dili ang mohawod sa katilingban. Himuon nato nga matarong. Ang pagpatay s mga kaaway sa politika pagpangalagad lamang sa atong kaugalingon ug sa atong katuyan.
The journalists then called on the community to exercise the same vigilance. “Tabangan ninyo kami kay kung mawala na ang mga mensahero nga nagdala sa inyong mga tingog, mahimo na nga walay bili ang atong pagpuyo niining kalibutan,” they said.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA