The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Negros Occidental Chapter will kick off a series of activities today to commemorate the second year of the Ampatuan Massacre.

Fifty-eight people, 32 of them journalists, were slaughtered before the last May elections in Maguindanao province.

Members of the powerful Ampatuan clan, allies of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, have been charged in court for the grisly crime.

NUJP-Negros Occidental Interim chairman, Julius Mariveles, called on fellow journalists and those who want to join a candle-lighting ceremony to gather at the Marker for Fallen Journalists at the Bacolod City Public Plaza at 6 p.m. today. 

“This is not only an activity for journalists, this is an activity for those who want to protest the prevailing culture of impunity that has led to the continued killing of journalists,” Mariveles said. He also called on government to take steps to hasten the resolution of the case now pending before a regional trial court in Manila.

NUJP interim vice-chairman Edgar Cadagat urged those who want to attend to wear black shirts to symbolize their continued condemnation of the massacre and to dramatize calls for a swift resolution of the case that has largely been delayed due to maneuverings from defense lawyers.

Aside from the candle-lighting ceremony, the NUJP is also holding a photo exhibit in cooperation with the Communications Department and the Inter-Disciplinary Studies of the University of St. La Salle. 

The exhibit will feature black and white photographs taken by Mariveles when he went to the commemoration in Ampatuan town last year and will also show some pictures of the protest actions held by Negros journalists.

It will be launched at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow  at the Lobby of the USLS Coliseum.*

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