Kin of massacre media victims seek inhibition of 2 CA justices

Monette Salaysay, widow of Napoleon Salaysay, one of 32 media workers killed in the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan massacre, weeps as she calls on the Court of Appeals not to drop suspended ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan from the list of accused during a protest action by the families of the media victims at the CA in Manila Wednesday afternoon. (Nonoy Espina, Interaksyon)

MANILA, Philippines – The families of the 32 media workers killed in the November 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao province’s Ampatuan town called on two justices of the Court of Appeals to inhibit themselves from hearing and deciding on the petition of suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan to be removed from those accused of the murders.

The relatives, who have organized themselves into the “Justice Now Movement,” marched to the CA Wednesday afternoon, joined by media organizations that also issued a call for “transparency and vigilance” in the judicial process.

Rowena Paraan, National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP) secretary general, said they are seeking the inhibition of Associate Justices Danton Bueser and Marlene Gonzales-Sison.

“This protest is to push for the two justices to inhibit from the case. We are asking why, in the case of Andal Sr. (the patriarch of the Ampatuan clan and one of the accused), the two inhibited, but here (in Zaldy’s petition) they did not,” Paraan said.

Edith Tiamzon, widow of Daniel Tiamzon of the UNTV network, which lost four of its personnel in the slaughter, said they received information that the Court of Appeals might grant Zaldy Ampatuan’s petition.

“Natatakot kami para sa aming pamilya kung pakakawalan siya (Zaldy) … alam na nga namin na para kaming bumangga sa pader (We fear for our families if Zaldy is freed … we all know that we are bumping against a wall),” Tiamzon said.

Monette Salaysay, widow of Napolen Salaysay, manager of radio station dzRO, asked: “Bakit sila pakakawalan? Para hanapin kami at patayin (Why should they be freed? To hunt us down and kill us)?”

The media workers’ families have also filed a petition for the inhibition of Bueser and Gonzales-Sison.

Meanwhile, Vergel Santos of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said the government should probe the limits of separation of powers to see how it can push for more speedy proceedings in the massacre trial and prevent the release of Zaldy Ampatuan.

He also called on people, including President Benigno Aquino III, to take a stand on the matter.

“Anybody, whether you be (the) president or simple citizen, should come out and make a declaration of conscience. They should not allow this (release of Zaldy Ampatuan). This is a conscience issue, not just a political issue,” Santos said.