Legacy written in blood EDITORIAL 06/18/2010

Legacy written in blood

EDITORIAL Click to enlarge 06/18/2010 Among the lasting imprint of the Arroyo administration that hopefully the next generations of Filipinos will not endure but only read in the annals of history, is the culture of impunity that made the Philippines one of the most dangerous places on earth and a no man’s land for journalists. Last November, 32 journalists were murdered in broad daylight in Maguindanao over a political feud between two warlord families who were instrumental in the elections cheating machinery that stole for Gloria a fresh six-year term in 2004. The massacre that created a worldwide outrage, however, does not seem to be the last of such senseless assaults on the media, as just the other day two broadcast journalists were killed in separate attacks at opposite ends of the country within the space of 24 hours. Desidario Camangyan, 52, was shot dead by a lone gunman who walked onstage as the victim hosted a village singing contest in Davao Oriental while Lito Agustin, 37, was ambushed and shot dead as he rode a motorcycle home. Camangyan was known for being outspoken against illegal logging and mining, while Agustin had been similarly very vocal in exposing corruption in his hometown in Laoag City. Never in the country’s history have journalists been such easy targets by the moneyed and those that wield power. Even during the supposed darkest years of human rights violations during the martial law years have the lives of media practitioners, if not any Filipino, been so cheapened as to be bought for a sum of money. The gross inaction, if not tolerance, of Gloria’s administration of such malevolence, particularly if done by a political ally, summarized the way that she ran the government for the past nine years.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100618com1.html

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