As the 15th anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre draws near, journalists from across the Visayas region paid tribute to the 58 victims of one of the deadliest attacks against journalists that left including 32 media workers killed.
Veteran journalist and MindaNews Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Arguillas, along with war journalist Froilan Gallardo, guided journalists from Cebu, Samar, Leyte, and Panay Islands to the massacre sites and burial grounds of the victims.
“This is a must-visit for every journalist because this should not have happened in the first place,” said Alex Rey Pal, a Dumaguete-based journalist.
The Ampatuan massacre is considered the deadliest single-day attack on journalists in the world and the worst election-related violence in history of the country.
The visit was part of the Inside BARMM Fellowship, a program under Media Impact Philippines designed to provide an in-depth exploration of the Bangsamoro region, the only autonomous region in the country with a parliamentary form of government. (JJE)
Text and photos by Maverick Avila/Bulatlat
