● General Santos City Council: Dereliction of Duty?
General Santos City – During the morning of November 23, 2009, in the Muslim enclave of Ampatuan, Maguindanao, the silence is broken by screams of terror, the pleadings for life and the deafening din of machine gun fire.
Journalists, lawyers, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, most, part of a convoy to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmaiel Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, are taken to a prearranged grave site and mowed down. The total number of dead and missing are still in contention.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, (CPJ), calls the Maguindanao massacre, “… the single deadliest event for journalists, in history.”
The SunStar, Manila, on December 16 2009, carries a story, highlighting the refusal of Judge Luisito Cortez, to handle the case against the Ampatuan family, the alleged perpetrators of the massacre. In the news story, it is stated: “The Palace official said he doesn’t take it against Cortez for fearing for his life, as, “…no case, or story for us journalists, is worth our lives. So, it’s not cowardice.”
Can this statement of the “Palace” spokesman, be taken as a ‘veiled threat’ to all Filipino journalists?
There’s not a journalist in this country that does not know their life is in jeopardy when speaking out against the established regime. Too, they also know, their killer will not be prosecuted. History states this fact. Not this writer.
Jose Rizal, a Philippine national hero, gave his life for his country. We can all thank God; he didn’t do it by embracing the belief held by this administration’s, “Palace official.” Had Jose Rizal, embraced such a belief, he would not have given his life and, thus, the Philippine revolution would never have happened.
By all measures, Judge Luisito Cortez, if not by law, then by conscience, is derelict in his duties by causing another judge to ‘fight his fight’. Cowering in the face of a threat, while causing one of your own to have to ‘fight the fight’, might, by many, be considered, cowardice.
This now brings us to the City Council of General Santos. General Santos City is where the alleged masterminds and killers, involved in the Ampatuan/Maguindanao massacre, are now being kept in a military compound.
A news piece of December 21, 2009, Manila Bulletin, titled, “GenSan wants Ampatuan’s elsewhere”, speaks of a city resolution to move the alleged massacre suspects out of the military camp in General Santos City.
Might the Gensan City Council resolution be viewed as shirking their responsibility?
In the news article, it’s stated: “Several businessmen complained that business and tourism have suffered due to the detention of the Ampatuan’s here.”
Less than one month after the massacre, a massacre occurring only a few kilometers north of General Santos City, we hear Gensan businessmen bemoan claims of financial loss. All the while, the people of General Santos City, are mourning the loss of 10 of its journalists and others, to the hands of the perpetrators of this mass murder.
Perhaps, the General Santos City Council should review their priorities and responsibilities. Might they then, publicly acknowledge; lost business and the loss of non-existent tourism will not stand in the way of doing their duty? This writer believes, such a statement of action is needed.
George D. Mertz
Executive Director, GRACE
(The opinions in this writing do not necessarily reflect the opinions of those of the Gensan Relief and Community Exchange, Inc., Board of Directors, or any others associated with GRACE.)
_________________________
Return to the Action – Click Here for Our Home Page
_________________________
Author: George D. Mertz
Posted by: Gensan Relief and Community Exchange, Inc., General Santos City, Philippines
Date: January 26, 2010
Comments