Protest Broadcast 3: A Cry for Justice for Slain Journalists

Another protest broadcast is on the way to make the voices of the victims of the recent massacre louder in their cry for justice.

UNTV is launching Protest Broadcast 3, a concert that will benefit the families of the journalists killed in the Maguindanao massacre.

With UNTV staff and crew facilitating the whole event, several voices will shout the cry of justice through their protest songs.

UNTV 6th Year Anniversary poster

UNTV 6th Year Anniversary poster

 

On November 23, 2009, some 57 persons including up to 38 journalists were massacred in Barangay Samiag, Ampatuan town in the province of Maguindanao, Southern Philippines.  The journalists served as cover for a politician about to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) when heavily armed men waylaid the group. Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. served as prime suspect in the massacre and has since been imprisoned. Many of the Ampatuan clan were found to be involved.

Recently a member of the Ampatuan clan was released with the consent of the Arroyo administration.

The 38 journalists that have been killed in the Maguindanao Massacre have a tough time obtaining justice. Although this massacre has become known worldwide, the government has not showed any advance move for this matter.

Except for the fact that it will benefit the people that were left by the victims, this concert will also empower the fight perpetuated as media people. This kind of concert is considered necessary mostly in the Philippines, one of the world’s worst nations in battling violence against media.

The concert involves several artists that are popular in the singing industry. A charity event, it will feature some of the artists like: Heber Bartolome, Lloyd Umali, Joey Ayala, Gary Granada, Noel Cabangon, Lolita Carbon of ASIN, and Kuya Daniel Razon.

The event will be conducted in key areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao so that it can reach the areas of the other journalists all over the Philippines. The dates of the concert tour will be on the following: May 17 in Araneta Coliseum, Araneta Center, Quezon City; May 23 in Cebu; and May 30 in Davao.

Protest Broadcast 3, a collaboration of the efforts of KBP-Metro Manila, UNTV 37, and the Rotary club International, aims to produce funds for the deprived families of the killed media men from 2001-2009.

The Bread Society International is also involved in this event particularly because one of their brothers and a co-worker was killed in the Maguindanao Massacre. Their participation is to convey their thoughts and mixed emotions trapped within, to mourn for the loss of one of them, of Mr. Jolito Evardo, and other victims of the Massacre.

This is a long-time awaited event because of continued media killings in the Philippines that did not only start with the Maguindanao Massacre. There were media men that were killed from the year 1986. The higher percentage of media killings from 1986 up to the Maguindanao Massacre has happened during the tenure of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

UNTV is a subsidiary of Breakthrough and Milestones Productions Internatioanl (BMPI), a highly-diversified company engaged in brodcast media productions, events management, and other related businesses. (By Juneil Bucao)