ILOILO City – Sixteen years after the Ampatuan Massacre shocked the nation and the world, journalists and advocates say justice remains frustratingly out of reach, with fugitives still unaccounted for, compensation unpaid, and appeals dragging through the courts.
In a statement marking the recent Nov. 23 anniversary of the 2009 mass killing, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) – Iloilo Chapter emphasized that despite a landmark ruling in 2019 that convicted 44 individuals — including principal accused Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan — “the reality in 2025 shows that the path to justice remains unfinished.”
The massacre, the deadliest attack on journalists in history, claimed 58 lives, including 32 members of the media, after a political convoy was ambushed in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.
The brutality of the attack exposed deep-rooted political violence and impunity that continue to haunt the country’s democratic institutions.
NUJP Iloilo said it pauses each year to honor those who were killed.
“We honor the courage of our fallen colleagues and the civilians who perished with them. Their memory compels us to continue the arduous fight for truth, justice, and press freedom,” the group said.
But it stressed that remembrance is not enough as systemic delays continue to deny the victims’ families full closure.
“Many suspects remain at large, appeals continue to drag on, witnesses’ intimidation persists, and families of the victims have yet to receive the compensation ordered by the court,” the chapter said.
The group also warned that a lingering “culture of impunity” still threatens journalists and civilians alike.
“We cannot allow the passage of time to dilute our rage or dim our memory. The culture of impunity that allowed the Ampatuan Massacre to happen still lingers in the shadows of our democracy.”
NUJP Iloilo called on the government to intensify efforts to arrest the remaining suspects, strengthen witness protection, and expedite the release of court-ordered compensation.
“We do not just remember; we resist forgetting. As long as the masterminds appeal and the accomplices run free, the case is not closed,” the group said./PN
