Various Caraga media, militant student groups held indignation rallies commemorating Maguindanao massacre

by Ben Serrano

November 23, 2010

            BUTUAN CITY (PNA) - Different media, militant students and local government organizations here in Caraga region commemorating the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre today.

            In Surigao City, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Surigao del Norte chapter joined the local government unit of Surigao City, various civic organizations in candle-lighting ceremonies held at the City Hall grounds while the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) Surigao Chapter held an indignation rally this morning.

            Said organizations have called on early resolution of the Maguindanao massacre.

            Here in Butuan City, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) joined the NUJP-Butuan City chapter in holding indignation rally at the Butuan City’s Rizal Park.

            The NUJP-Butuan City Chapter joined by Philippine Information Agency OIC Regional Director Abner Caga visited different radio stations in the city after the morning’s indignation rally.

            The PIA official also condemned the Maguindanao Massacre saying it puts the country in the map of the World as

            Butuan Press Club, and Agusan-Surigao Tri-Media Organizations’ officials and members also hold their own simple candle lighting rites to commemorate the Maguindanao massacre.

            NUSP-Caraga Chair Carl John Samalca said they are staying awake on a 24/7 basis in the updates of the Maguindanao massacre.

 

Butuan Press Club, the oldest media organization in Caraga region, on the other hand has called on citizens to be aware of the Maguindanao massacre and stay awake and be vigilant that such incident will never happened again.

 

Former Agusan del Sur Provincial Board Member and former Association of Barangay Captains President Reynaldo Quijada for his part claimed the Maguindanao massacre was caused by deeply rooted bad governance, traditional politics due mushrooming political dynasties ruling various parts of Mindanao for decades now that brought money politics.

 

He said Maguindanao massacre was only tip of an iceberg of the real situation of Mindanao which is ruled until now by political warlords, traditional politicians and political dynasties who will use any means including violent means to perpetuate themselves into power for long.

 

“They even wanted their pet dogs after their wives, daughters, sons, sons in laws, daughters in laws, nephews, cousins served as Mayors, councilors, governors, vice governors, etc.,” Quijada said who served 15 years as Barangay Captain of Barangay Poblacion Sta. Josefa, one of the biggest barangay in Agusan del Sur , in the river town of Sta. Josefa.

 

Quijada said that there is also a need for a closer look of the real situation of newsmen in Mindanao saying like traditional dirty politics most media men in Mindanao which are lowly paid are mostly paid hacks of dirty politicians or cannot survived without financial help from ruling politician class. 


“Thus they cannot actually attack politicians and the ones they attacked are politicians enemy of their patron politician and this is the reason why newsmen even quarrel among themselves because of the divide and rule tactics” Quijada concludes.


Quijada also served as Agusan del Sur Provincial Board Member for six years and is former official of the National League of the Barangay Captains of the Philippines. (PNA/Ben Serrano)