Visayan journalists joined a solemn program on Thursday, November 21, remembering the victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Fifty-eight people, including 32 journalists, were killed in what is believed to be the world’s deadliest attack on journalists.

VISAYAN journalists light candles and offer flowers and prayers to the 58 people, including 32 journalists, killed at the Maguindanao massacre site in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur on Thursday, November 21, 2024. (Tara Yap)

Journalists from Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas offered prayers, flowers and lighted candles at the massacre site in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur province.

The event was part of “Inside BARMM: A Walk Through the Bangsamoro Region” organized by the Mindanao Institute of Journalism, publisher of MindaNews.

Veteran Mindanao journalists Carolyn Arguillas and Froilan Gallardo gave Visayan journalists a look at what happened on November 23, 2009, the development of criminal cases and the impact of the massacre on journalism.

Some participants could not contain their emotions about what happened to their colleagues during a program.

Alex Pal of Dumaguete City, Negros Occidental, said journalists should pay a visit to the site. “This should never have happened,” Pal said.

The journalists were all united in the program in calling for full justice.

Fifteen years later, only key figures, including former local officials Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019. Many suspects are still at large.