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20/01/11
Massacre Trial continues…
As has been my routine for the last few weeks I attended the Maguindanao Massacre trial on Wednesday and Thursday.
The courtroom, situated in Regional Trial Court in Quezon City, has been moved from Manila because of risk and dangers associated with the trial.
I don't want to lead you astray; there is nothing too special about this particular courtroom, except for the case that is being presented inside its walls.
The room itself is quite bland with a small red, white and blue Philippine flag standing limply in the corner. The walls are painted grey with an off white trimming, floor fans cool the hot room and a projector is set up on the side. At the front of the room is the honourable judge she wears a traditional black robe and pearls. She diligently takes notes. A framed picture of Mother Mary hands above the door entrance.
The courtroom is small, about 50 people can squeeze inside including 15 members of the defence and 10 who represent the prosecution, today six victims' family members are present and media and reporters make up the rest.
In order to get inside the court we go through three security checks, mark our names off a list, hand over mobile phones and recording devises and then are checked again before we enter the courtroom.
The halls of the building are lined with bundles and bundles of documents from past cases, I found one bundle dated back to July 1990, it's as old as I am!
On Wednesday the hearing was quite long, we again heard from the doctor that conducted the autopsies of 12 of the victims and the defence began cross-examination.
After the hearing I got speaking to one of the victims family members, Ma Reynafe Momay-Casrillo, she told me she was the daughter of the missing 58th victim (I didn't know there was a 58th victim or that someone was still missing). She told me of her struggle to get her father recognised as a victim because his body was yet to be found. We only spoke briefly but I could tell she really wanted to me her story.
The other journalist, Phil and I were unable to get comments from the prosecution lawyers so Phil organised for us to have lunch with him and some of the victim's families.
So I found myself sitting next to Ma Reynafe at lunch talking further with her and the other family members about their thoughts on how the case was going, what happened to their loved ones and their lives after the horrific crime.
Phil conducted an interview in Tagalog and I have never wished more I could speak the language. I could tell by the woman's body language and tone that they were passionate about the topic. I found out later that the President appointed former Ampatuan (The clan that is suspected of organising the massacre) lawyer as the new chair of the Commission on Elections. Keep in mind that the massacre was a politically fuelled attack so appointing someone connected to the perpetrators to such a political position is not only ludicrous but in poor taste.
Phil wrote the story of how the Massacre victims' kin felt betrayed, it was published and the next day-due to his story- the President organised a one on one meeting with the women to discuss how he could help them. Now THAT is the power of journalism.
That same day my story on the trial was published and I received my first News by-line. It appeared on page 12 next to Phils story. Here is the link…
On Thursday at the trial I spoke again with the victims' families, I even shared a few jokes with them.
The doctor again endured over two and half hours of questioning where the defence tried to discredit him. I watched him as he removed his glasses and wipe his tired face, he has tolerated over a month in the witness box. I pity him; I am told by another journalist that before the trial he was known as the best doctor in his field. He was even flown to Mindanao to do his job in what I am sure would be best described as horrific conditions.
At one point in the trial the defense questioned the likelihood of sexual assault and in a bizarre turn of events that even had the Honorable judge asking 'why?' the defense asked the doctor to describe necrophilia.
"It is a psychological disorder when a person is aroused or stimulated in doing sexual acts on a dead body," the doctor responded a bit unsure.
I am unsure what kind of defense necrophilia is but the defense lawyer hastily wrapped up his questioning after seeing the reaction and sat down. Good idea we all thought.
The next day a report on the trial proceedings I helped write was in the paper page 17. Here is the link…
From Manila lots of love,
Stace
xxx
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