Philippine journalist massacre update

The death toll is now 40, including at least 12 journalists...and the and a lot of accusations are being made.

Even the ManilaBulletin has the headline "WHAT NOW" above their daily photo of the president, and prints articles pointing out her links with the suspects.

In the article, they note they lost one of their reporters, and that the military claims they can't find any witnesses.

ABS CBN quotes the government as saying there won't be any "quick arrests".
"We have due process to be observed also, so let us allow the investigators on the ground to come up with [a case] through their investigation," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde replied

Those accused of the murders were her allies, and there are connections with the "helloGarci" scandal, according to GMA NEWS article, which describes how the clan controls the area with the government's blessing.

From GMA NEWS: one journalist asked to go back and get his laptop...but actually he had noticed that requests for security and police had been turned down, and he was worried.

GMA Also reports:"...The perpetrators, according to military reports, included not just the mayor and his men but also practically the entire local police force, para military forces and senior police officials."

The PhilInquirer describes the culture of clan wars, and why it is so much worse in Mindanao.

What it comes down to is money. The clans get hold of a political office, and then skim off the top. This makes their entire family rich.
They frequently have their own private armies of "security guards" to protect them. In Mindanao, it is complicated by the war, so a lot of local militias (which are supposed to protect folks from attack) are at the beck and call of the local politician.

The killings are of rival politicians, reformers, and reporters who spill the beans. Usually it is only one at a time, which makes it easier to cover up.

In this case, the murder of the reporters will make things more difficult to cover up.

Expect delaying tactics: if you try to get justice, it is difficult to follow the blame to the top: The killers will be caught, but know if they keep quiet, their families will be taken care of...but if they spill the beans they will be dead.

So the witnesses will not be found, and if someone is supsected of knowing the truth, often they will "disappear" (die or flee).

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In our nephew's murder, everyone knows who ordered the hit, and the names of who did it. We even know how much was paid to whom.

But whether we will ever get our day in court, who knows. The perpetrator is still out on bail, and now one of his relatives is running for his office.

And even though our relative was a US Citizen, the embassy shrugs it off as if it were merely a random criminal attack. US pressure could help us get justice, but I guess because it was only a political murder (not the murder of an ex communist or leftist) the human rights folks aren't much help either.

The politician behind our nephew's murder is under indictment, so can't run again for office. Instead, his wife is running.

And as I noted awhile back: the person who is now running for the political office involved travels with a body guard, even to private residences.

When I ask the staff, they say that the going rate is still 500 pesos for a vote. (about ten dollars). However, since both sides offer a similar bribe, voting might be fair. But calculate up how much money is being spent to get hold of a minor office.

And remember: We are a small town.

In Mindanao, because of all the development money being spent there, I suspect there is a lot more money at stake. It must be going somewhere: Because the people there aren't getting any richer.