Palace: We are only human

By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:55:00 11/26/2009

Filed Under: Maguindanao Massacre, Media killings, Human Rights, political killings, Inquirer Politics, Crime and Law and Justice


MANILA, Philippines—Sorry, but we’re only human.

Malacañang on Wednesday gave this pathetic excuse for its failure to stop the killing of journalists—most recently the massacre of at least 13 media practitioners in Maguindanao that has made the Philippines the world’s most dangerous place for media workers.

“We don’t have full control of the situation on the ground, mortals as we are,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita sheepishly told reporters.

“Because we are only human, we cannot stop these things from happening, but we will just do whatever is legally possible within human limits to be able to stop [them] and improve on our performance as a government and as a country,” he added in Filipino.

Ermita heads the presidential human rights committee, which regularly reports to the United Nations on the Philippine government’s progress in promoting human rights in the country.

“Too bad this thing had to happen,” he said, referring to the abduction and gruesome murder of members of the Mangudadatu family, lawyers, journalists and other innocent civilians in Maguindanao on Monday.

The journalists were to cover the filing of the certificate of candidacy of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, who was planning to run against the son and namesake of Gov. Andal Ampatuan in the gubernatorial race in the province.

The killings, especially the manner with which they were carried out, sent shock waves even outside the Philippines in what was described as the worst election-related violence in the country so far.

“This is a massacre that requires a quick response from the Human Rights Council, because it has surpassed all limits acceptable in international humanitarian law. It is of an unprecedented scale that crosses all borders,” said the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign.

Since Monday’s massacre, the Palace has been offering words of assurance that the government will bring justice to the victims even if the alleged perpetrators, members of the powerful Ampatuan clan, are very close to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

But until Wednesday, government investigators had yet to formally invite a single Ampatuan for questioning despite the text message of Mangudadatu’s wife to her husband that Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. had led the group of gunmen shortly before she was killed.

“There are certain procedures we must follow,” Ermita said. “We don’t want people to be unnecessarily tried through publicity.”

He added: “I’m telling you, the families of those identified with the victims as well as those suspected to be involved are both political allies of Malacañang. We cannot say that we’re siding with anyone. What’s important is to let the rule of law be applied to everyone. The President is very, very emphatic about it.”