CITY OF MALOLOS—Bulacan journalists and journalism students
from different universities in the province will hold on Wednesday, November
21, a candle-light parade at the
provincial capitol grounds here in commemoration of the third anniversary of
the infamous Ampatuan Massacre.
Dino Balabo, chairman of the Bulacan chapter of the National
Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), said three years have passed
since 58 persons, 32 of them journalists, were murdered on November 23, 2009,
in Maguindanao.
Balabo said 153 candles will be lighted to commemorate the
153 journalists killed in the country since 1986.
In a news statement, NUJP-Bulacan said that over 100
journalists and journalism students are expected to join the activity to show
their support of journalists’ calls to end impunity in the country, press for
the passing of the Freedom of Information bill, and call on all journalists to
continue to rise the bar of journalism.
Balabo said the campaign to end impunity only addresses
calls on the government to implement laws to protect citizens, journalists or
not, and that there must be a parallel campaign to remind journalists to pursue
ethical and responsible reporting.
This was echoed earlier by the NUJP National Directorate
along with the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and the Center for Media
Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).
The group said the best protection for journalists is
ethical and responsible reporting.
The Bulacan activity will be held two days ahead of the bigger activity planned
by the NUJP, PPI, CMFR, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism,
Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, the Center for Community Journalism and
Development, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas in Manila on
Friday.
The Manila activity will be highlighted by the parade of 153
coffins from Welcome Rotonda in Quezon
City to
Mendiola.
Rowena Paraan, NUJP secretary-general, said the parade of
coffins will serve as an expression of outrage against impunity.
She said despite the change in administration, the killing
of journalists continue with at least 10 murdered since the Aquino
administration assumed office in July 2010.
“Remember our slain colleagues. Help us carry the 153
coffins to Mendiola,” Paraan said as she invited journalists to join the
funeral march on Friday.