BAGUIO CITY—Sixteen years after the Ampatuan Massacre, a community renewed its commitment to journalism.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Baguio-Benguet partnered with the College of Arts and Communication (CAC) at the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) to gather journalists, student writers, and academics at the UP Baguio Teatro Amianan on November 25, as a renewal of their commitment to ethical reporting and accountability.
Led by Jonathan De Santos, NUJP Chair, Rolly Fernandez, former PDI Northern Luzon Bureau Chief and retired UPB professor, Dionisio Dennis, BCBC president, Io Jularbal, Dean of CAC, UPB, and Josiah Jeshua Bruno, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), a panel discussion titled “Media and Corruption: Ethics, Survival, and Accountability,” tackled the realities of the profession as well as the obstacles faced by the academe.
Jonathan De Santos, NUJP Chair, highlighted the escalating threats faced by journalists, stating that as of May 1, 2025, there have been a total of 177 cases against the press recorded under the current administration. These cases include 6 Killings, 58 Harassment incidents (surveillance and verbal threats), 29 Red-tagging cases, 13 Online attacks and harassment, and 12 Cyber libel/libel charges. Beyond direct attacks, poor working conditions significantly contribute to the industry’s woes; a 2021 NUJP survey revealed that 44% of journalists/media workers receive a monthly salary of P15,000 or below, with the situation being more dire for provincial journalists, 15% of whom receive a mere P5,000.
Consequently, the survey also showed that seven out of ten journalists are forced to take on other jobs or venture into small businesses just to stay afloat, while half of the respondents are not entitled to basic benefits like holiday pay, hazard pay, and insurance for dangerous or out-of-town coverage.
Veteran journalist and retired UPB professor, Rolly Fernandez, alongside Dionisio Dennis, provided real-world insights into the ethical dilemas media is confronted with, balancing the public’s right to know against threats to their safety and livelihood.
Fernandez highlighted a whitewashing of the truth over the Ampatuan Massacre—on why it took 30 journalists to accompany a politician—and addressed the declining enrollment in university journalism courses.
An academic perspective was offered by Io Jularbal, Dean of UPB’s CAC, who served as a reactor. Jularbal provided insights into journalistic integrity and independence and stressed the need to retool the academe to address the changing needs of society.
Josiah Jeshua Bruno from CEGP represented the youth, underscoring the vital role student publications play in cultivating a culture of ethical and fearless reporting among future journalists.
Remembering the Ampatuan Massacre
The Ampatuan Massacre is dubbed the deadliest single attack on journalists in world history, where 32 media professionals were killed on November 23, 2009.
The massacre is named after Ampatuan, Maguindanao province, Mindanao, where the convoy was stopped and the mass grave was dug in Sitio Malating, Barangay Salman. The carnage was masterminded by members of the powerful Ampatuan political clan, who were in control of the province at the time.
The victims, comprising local and national journalists, were killed in an ambush by around one hundred men as they accompanied the convoy of a political leader, Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.
Key Timeline and Verdicts
- July 17, 2015: Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr., the clan patriarch and primary accused, died of liver failure while confined in a hospital.
- December 19, 2019: Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes delivered a historic verdict, finding Andal Ampatuan Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan, Anwar Ampatuan Sr., Anwar Jr., Anwar Sajid, and 24 others guilty. They were convicted of 57 counts of murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment without parole).
- Over 50 suspects, including Datu Sajid Ampatuan and Datu Akmad Ampatuan, were acquitted. Those convicted were ordered to pay damages to the victims’ heirs.
- November 2024: The Ampatuans’ appeal for the guilty verdict reached the Supreme Court and is still pending. The victims’ families have yet to receive the damages as ruled by the court.
- January 2025: The Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Datu “Akmad” Ampatuan. Maria Elena Catajan
