Yesterday, 41 people were believed killed with 21 confirmed dead in a brazen attack in the the province of Maguindanao in what may turn out to be the deadliest single poll-related incident of violence in the history of the Philippines. Not even the presence of media men deterred the broad daylight abduction and eventual murder of the female relatives of a political family as well the media persons themselves who accompanied them to cover the filing of candidacy of a scion of the clan. Majority of the victims were women and unarmed and some were raped according to eyewitness accounts of those who came to the place where some 21 bodies were found.
The impunity, done in broad daylight, and the sheer number of victims has gotten this blogger all riled up. Has the lawlessness in Maguindanao reached the point where attacks of such a massive scale can be carried out without fear of justice finally catching up? Are those people responsible for the attack so confident of their power and immunity that killing 13 journalist as well was a risk worth taking?
I am shocked, I am sad and I grieve for the families of the victims, but more than anything else I fear for what has become of our country.
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