Uphold the Rule of Law, End the Reign of Terror in Maguindanao

Malacañang has declared today as a National Day of Mourning for those who died in the Maguindanao massacre. I join the entire nation in fervent prayer for the souls of those who perished in this tragic incident and extend my deepest sympathies to the families and colleagues of all the victims.

While it is only proper and fitting to declare a National Day of Mourning, I believe the Arroyo government must go beyond official expressions of grief and see to it that justice is done. We must make this a National Day of Outrage as well because the November 23 massacre in the municipality of Ampatuan, Maguindanao, is an unprecedented in its savagery and will go down in history books as the worst case of political violence in this country.

The Arroyo government has already declared a state of emergency in Maguindanao and outlying areas. This should allow authorities to pinpoint exactly who are responsible for the dastardly attack and to apply the full force of the law on the perpetrators.

The government must now demonstrate firm resolve and bring the 100 or so killers of at least 57 political supporters, journalists and innocent civilians to the bar of justice.

To bring added pressure to bear on Philippine authorities to put an end to the reign of terror in Maguindanao, I have written Honorable Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights based in Geneva, Switzerland, requesting the international body to send an investigative team to conduct an impartial and thorough probe of the massacre.

I also urge foreign media as well as international press watchdogs to cover the government's handling of this case and see for themselves why the country is now called the most dangerous place for journalists.

The victims of the massacre included the families and supporters of a local politician who wanted to file his certificate of candidacy for the May 2010 elections, two women lawyers, and a group of journalists from various media outfits. They were unarmed and defenseless, and wanted merely to make the electoral process work in the province, yet were mercilessly mowed down by gunfire.

The killings are believed to have been the handiwork of followers of a powerful political family in Muslim Mindanao. The killers reportedly include armed militias operating in the area. If this is the case, then the killers may have even been in the government payroll, that is, paid with taxpayers' money. If this is the case, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have a lot of explaining to do.

The government ran hammer and tongs after rogue commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front launched attacks on civilian communities in central Mindanao late last year. But it has not unleashed the full might of the state on the perpetrators of the massacre with the same resolve and determination. Our people demand answers to this key question: Why is the government seemingly hesitant--or perhaps even afraid--to bring the killers to justice?

The declaration of a state of emergency in Maguindanao is not enough. It should be matched by decisive steps by authorities to run after the perpetrators, disarm them and put them behind bars, where they belong.