Quest for justice continues 16 years after Maguindanao massacre

Sixteen years after the Maguindanao massacre, families of the 58 victims, including 32 journalists, say full justice remains out of reach despite partial convictions handed down in 2019.

- By JANVIC MATEO

Citing unresolved appeals and dozens of suspects who continue to evade arrest, the Center for International Law (CenterLaw), which represents several of the victims' families, stressed that "full justice remains painfully elusive."

"Why is it that with so many people killed, and with evidence more than sufficient, it has been 16 years and we still have no justice?" said Ramonita Salaysay, widow of media worker Napoleon Salaysay.

"Maybe once we finally attain justice, our hearts will feel lighter. We won't have to take sleeping pills every night like we have for so long," added Myrna Reblando, widow of journalist Alejandro "Bong" Reblando.

In December 2019, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 convicted 28 suspects - including key members of the Ampatuan clan - of 57 counts of murder and sentenced them to up to 40 years in prison.

Fifteen others were convicted as accessories to murder, while at least 57 accused, mostly police officers, were acquitted.

Those convicted were ordered to pay each victim's family P100,000 in civil indemnity, P100,000 in moral damages and P100,000 in exemplary damages.

But six years after the ruling, the appeals before the Court of Appeals remain pending.

CenterLaw is set to file an urgent motion on behalf of 19 families, urging the appellate court to finally resolve the appeals and the Philippine government to immediately provide financial compensation to the victims' families.