GMA Network Statement on the Maguindanao Massacre
November 26, 2009 by cd
GMA has released a statement regarding the Maguindanao massacre. The statement in Filipino was read by Jessica Sojo last night on 24 Oras.
We are no longer who we were before Monday. Even in the annals of political violence in the Philippines, there have been no parallels to the slaughter that occurred on the lonely road to Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao on November 23.
52 unarmed civilians all, the majority of whom were media professionals, the victims were enroute to perform basic functions in a civilized democracy: the Mangudadatu women were to file certificates of candidacy; the lawyers were to provide legal advice; and the journalists were to bear witness on behalf of the public and to report on an important event without fear or favor.
All of these roles are essential for a political system where power is meant to be transferred without violence.
What met them in a town recently renamed Ampatuan was the exact opposite: a force and mentality that invoked the barbarity of more primitive times.
The crime that occurred in Ampatuan was uniquely savage, but it was also an extreme example of the violent tendency in our politics. At the other extreme are the many citizens who are bravely committed to the difficult and complex process of peacefully deciding who our leaders should be, such as those souls who perished on Monday.
It is this tension between savagery and peaceful process that has marked our electoral history. Those are the most critical choices in 2010.
Much will depend on how the government reacts in the coming days. For what is emerging is evidence that the assailants were not outside the law but part of the political machinery of local officials backed by the Arroyo administration.
The President so far has ordered a thorough investigation and declared a state of emergency in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City. Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa has relieved four PNP officials in Maguindanao.
We trust that this is just the beginning of a series of actions that will bring all of the perpetrators to justice, including the warlords who orchestrated this bloodbath.
If they are permitted to escape harsh punishment, it will clearly be a vote for barbarity and for the other savage armies prepared to assault our maiden automated elections.
As we wait for action, we grieve. We grieve for the believers in a democratic system who paid with their lives. We grieve for the martyred journalists who believed the Constitutional protection of their rights was enough.
By travelling without arms to perform their democratic duties in hostile territory, the 52 made their choice. We honor their example and sacrifice, as their fate continues to chill our bones. As fellow believers, we could have easily been them.
The statement in Filipino as read by Jessica Soho on 24 Oras on November 25, 2009:
Walang kahalintulad sa ating kasaysayan ang karahasan sa pulitikang naganap nitong araw ng lunes sa Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. Ang mga biktima – mga babaeng Mangudadatu na magsusumite ng certificate of candidacy, mga abogadong magbibigay ng payo at mga taga-media na dapat ay magiging saksi at magbabalita.
Lahat sila’y may ginagampanang papel sa demokrasya, pero sa lugar na kailan lamang ay tinawag na Ampatuan, dahas ang kanilang dinanas, na wala nang paglulugaran sa panahong ito.
Ang kahindik-hindik na krimen ay mapait na halimbawa sa klase ng pulitika na mayroon tayo. Sa kabilang banda, nariyan ang mga mamamayan na lakas loob na naninindigan na maipatupad ang tahimik at matiwasay na pamamaraan upang makapili ng mga magiging pinuno ng bayan. Ang tunggaliang ito ng dahas at kapayapaan ay lutang na lutang kada panahon ng eleksyon. Ito ang mga kritikal na pagpipilian natin sa 2010 — karahasan ba o’ kapayapaan?
Iniutos na ng presidente ang agarang imbestigasyon at nagdeklara ng state of emergency sa mga probinsya ng Maguindanao at Sultan Kudarat, at sa Cotabato City. Anim na pulis ang sinibak sa posisyon.
Umaasa kaming umpisa pa lamang ito, ng mga aksyong magtatapos sa paghuli sa mga taong nagsagawa ng krimen, ordinaryong tao man o kinatatakutang warlord sa probinsiya.
Kung sila’y hindi pagbabayarin sa pagkakasalang ito, katumbas nito ang pagkasira ng kauna-unahang automated elections ng bansa.
Habang kami’y naghihintay ng hustisya, kami’y magluluksa. Magluluksa para sa mga naniniwala sa demokrasya subalit nabiktima ng karahasan. Magluluksa para sa mga taga-mediang namatay na naniwalang sapat na ang konstitusyon upang silang maprotektahan.
Sa kanilang paglalakbay ng walang armas sa mga lugar na walang kasiguruhan, nagtiwala ang mga biktima sa kapayapaan. Aming kinikilala ang kanilang sakripisyo, habang ang kanilang sinapit ay mapait na ala-ala para sa lahat. Ang kanilang sinapit ay maaaring naging kapalaran
din namin.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:53 am
masyado OA… hejehe…
sorry i condemn what happened but it is over…
hindi ako kapuso o kapamilya kaya lang dig pa nito talumpati…
it is not a statement anymore…
it is a speech…
November 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Grabe nman! kawawa nman cla..
dpat mbigyan ng hustisya ang ginawa sa knila..
November 26th, 2009 at 10:35 am
@just1
tama ka..! pranag speech na ni ate glow..! akala ko nga statement lng ehh…! weeeee.. pero hope that this will be solved soon..! kawawa naman yung pamilya ng nawalan..! grabe talaga cla ka unhuman..! ^^
November 26th, 2009 at 11:19 am
the write ups could be OA but you cannot erase the fact that our loved ones were one of the victims in the massacre!!! at hindi kami basta mananahimik hanggang hindi nakakamit ang hustisya.
November 26th, 2009 at 11:20 am
you’re right just1.. its not a statement anymore… haahhaha!
November 26th, 2009 at 11:34 am
@just1
ang ibig sabihin ng STATEMENT dyan ay ang STAND ng GMA-7 sa nangyari…
bago ka mag comment magbasa muna at kunin yung thought ng binabasa para di mapahiya…lols
November 26th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
para kay just1 ano kina oa nun tama lang naman kasi sa dame ng napatay at yun paraan ng pagpatay ay karumal dumal talaga yan ang hirap sa atin eh mga manhid nakuha pang mamintas manood ka nga ng balita tanga!!!!!!
November 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
go gms,,,maghihit na naman ang news ito sa new york award for best news
November 26th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
What a very long statement…halatang pinahaba ng pinahaba…hayyyssss
November 26th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
i the english translation is not completly correct.
November 26th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
ano ba na naman yan kaya lng ba cla mgkokoment is to prove something ang tanga namna ni go go go
November 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
people of the Philippines and world: PLEASE DONT VOTE FOR ROB AND PATRICK,,, THEY ARE NOT GOOD EXAMPLE TO OTHER PEOPLE,,, former HOUSE B members dont deserve any win…. they are rude and not a good model…….
November 26th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
ito ay isang masamang anino ni PGMA.,mana lang yan ang mga kaanib yang POLITIKO na PURO mga MAMAMATAY TAO>>>at MANDARAYA>>>”NO MERCY IN PHILIPPINES.GLORIA IN HELL”
November 26th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal’s launching movie, (Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa ‘Yo.) And as expected, it was a flop – only earning a measly P3.5 million on its first week
Yaya & Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie), accumulated a cool P45 million after 2 weeks
Eugene Domingo (Kimmy Dora) has already grossed a whopping P77 million after 5 weeks
Star Cinema’s drama, starring Vilma Santos, John Lloyd Cruz and Luis Manzano (In My Life) earns P117 million after only 3 weeks
November 26th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal’s launching movie, (Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa ‘Yo.) And as expected, it was a flop – only earning a measly P3.5 million on its first week
Yaya & Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie), accumulated a cool P45 million after 2 weeks
Eugene Domingo (Kimmy Dora) has already grossed a whopping P77 million after 5 weeks
Star Cinema’s drama, starring Vilma Santos, John Lloyd Cruz and Luis Manzano (In My Life) earns P117 million after only 3 weeks
GMA’s Patient X, grossed 10.2 M on its 1st week
November 26th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
TALUMPATI ba ito???
ahihihihi dami paligoy ligoy..
unlike sa ABS..
SHORT BUT SUBSTANTIAL STATEMENT..
kudos KAPAMILYA…
November 26th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
para kay just1: Ignorant! BAkit nga ba may mga taong tulad mo? Before you comment, mag isip isip muna…nahahalata ang pagkaignorante!
November 26th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
anong stand ng GME ???
ang haba haba ng STATEMENT (kung statement pa nga yan)pero wala naman yung stand nila.. dame pa kasing paliguy liguy..
November 26th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
@just1
mukhang di nag-aral ito..”statement” lang di alam…
November 26th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
wala bang originality????
November 26th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
AHH OK.
SA DOS KASI LAHAT NG EMPLEYADO
NILA PINAGSUSUOT NILA
NG BLACK AS THIER SYMPATHY TO
WHAT HAPPENED
NO NEED FOR MANY WORDS
HAHAHAAHAHA
November 27th, 2009 at 12:12 am
we should all show concern and sympathy to what happened in Mindanao. as major networks of the country, it is appropriate to make a stand..but the stand that stood was given by ABS.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
ano ba naman yung statement; para stating of facts lang; wala namang kayong solid stand; sabihin nyo down with pabaya na Gloria; down with cheating in previous elections that prevents the present administration to condemn those who helped them cheat just to win
November 27th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
sana sabihin ng taga GMA na galit sila at walang kinikilingan kahit si Gloria na takot magbigay ng condemnation sa mga murderers sa Maguindanao kasi sila yung tumulong sa kanya sa cheating sa previous national election
November 27th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
HEY BAKIT DI NYO PI NO POST ANG COMMENTS KO