by Enzo Regondola

Two long years have passed since the Maguindanao Massacre, considered the worst case of media killings in history, claimed at least 58 lives, 32 of which were journalists.

It also catapulted the Philippines into infamy, dubbing the country as the “worst place for journalists”.

In line with this, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange declared November 23 as the International Day to End Impunity (IDEI) and using power of social media pushed for an online campaign to fight impunity.

A Blog Action Day, headed by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), was held on November 21, where social media users, bloggers, and all other ‘netizens’ were urged to talk about the IDEI and other related issues.

The organization said through IFEX’s website daytoendimpunity.org, “The counter-impunity campaign involves initiatives to reform the problematic criminal justice system.”

CMFR adopted the slogan: “Pangulong Aquino: Ilan pang mamamahayag ang kailangang mapatay? Kilos na!” as a call to President Benigno Aquino III to act on the unsolved crimes involving journalists.

Hashtags on Twitter, denoted by the # sign, are used to mark keywords and topics in a tweet. CMFR used the hashtags #endimpunityinPH, #Nov23, #kilosna, and #IDEI to distinguish the campaign from others.

Impunity is defined as exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss.

Media organizations speak up

The media killings, most especially in the massacre, is an example of impunity, with most of the cases remaining unsolved. Crime-doers have still gone unpunished.

CMFR and the National Union to Protect Journalists (NUJP) tweeted facts and statistics of the crimes committed against media practitioners:

         

Even foreign media organizations are reaching out to the impunity issue of the Philippines. The Center for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ-Malaysia) believes that media killings breed fear in communities, and this is detrimental to the community itself because many will be afraid of exposing wrongdoings.

CIJ-Malaysia tweets its thoughts on the issue of impunity with the hashtag #endimpunityinPH.

 

Bloggers show support for IDEI

Twitter user Justine Yu (@justineabigail), with the use of the hashtag #kilosna, tweeted a link to her blog pointing out that impunity is not a culture but a cancer.  Although cancer is one of the deadliest illnesses a person can get, it can be treated. Justine also believes that the cancer of impunity in the country can be treated as well.

Yu participates in the Blog Action Day with a tweet comparing impunity and cancer.

 

Prime Sarmiento, a Twitter user and travel blogger also shared her blog, which compares the situation of the massacred journalists to a blogger who can’t express his or her feelings regarding certain topics.

Sarmiento calls upon her readers and fellow bloggers to exercise their freedom of expression in light of the IDEI.

 

Individuals show distaste for the massacre

The massacre was committed 2 years ago, yet the cases against the perpetrators have not made any forward progress.

Jim Paredes of the APO Hiking Society comments on the lack of resolution of the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre trials.

 

Melanie Pinlac of CMFR tweeted in her account (@wizkitabet) that not even 10 percent of the total journalists killings have been given a resolution.

Pinlac tweets a statistic that paints the general picture of impunity in the Philippines.