Justice Eludes Children of Slain Journalists
“Baka
abutan ko pa,” (I might still catch him.) was
all that was in Karl’s mind when he tried to chase his mother’s assassin.
He ran as fast as he could but his mother’s murderer was gone. This year,
Karl and his siblings observe Mother’s Day with the painful truth that
their Mama is gone forever.
BY
DABET CASTAÑEDA
Bulatlat
It would have been normal for Peter*,
9 years old, Karl*, 13, and Jane*, 23, to spend this year’s Mother’s Day
without their Mama around. After all, they said their Mama was always at
work, always away from them.
But this year’s observance cuts deep
not only because Mama will never come home. Worse, Mother’s Day may
remind them of how their mother was brutally murdered right in front of
them.
Mama is Marlene Garcia-Esperat, 45,
the crusading journalist murdered by a lone gunman inside their home in
Tacurong City, Province of Sultan Kudarat, southern Philippines on March
24, 2005. She is the only slain woman journalist documented by the
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) since 1986.
This year, the NUJP has so far
documented three killings and a case of disappearance in Aurora province,
(231 kms. north of Manila). There were 79 slain journalists since
democracy was supposedly restored in the country after the ouster of the
Marcos dictatorship.
The International Federation of
Journalists, a London-based group, has ranked the Philippines as the
second most dangerous place for journalists next only to war-torn Iraq.
Exposing corruption
“Sobra ang hirap ni Mama para i-survive
kami,” (Mama worked really hard to be able to support us.) Jane said
as she recalled how her mother single-handedly took care of her and her
elder sister Mira*, 25, since they were born.
Jane and Mira were born out of
wedlock. Their father, Severino Arcones, was a journalist who was killed
in 1985. Marlene was then working at the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Jane said she and her sister either
went with their mother wherever she was assigned or lived with their
mother’s friends or relatives when they had to move during the middle of
the school year. “Palipat-lipat si Mama ng assignment kasi lagi syang
may threats,” (Mama had to change assignments often because she
received numerous threats.) Jane said.
As action officer of the DA, Marlene
exposed corruption in the agency and filed several cases against erring
officials, Jane said.
In 1995, Marlene married George
Esperat with whom she had two children, Peter and Karl.
But the marriage did not keep her home
as Marlene was constantly assigned to different regions.
Marlene went home to Tacurong City in
2001 and worked there as a consultant of farmers’ groups and
non-government organizations. She started as a columnist for The
Midland Review in 2000 where she wrote hard-knocking graft stories in
her column titled, “Madame Witness”.
When Marlene was gunned down, she was
following up leads regarding the involvement of DA officials, including
former undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, in the controversial
fertilizer fund scam, one of the issues hounding the Macapagal-Arroyo
administration.
Threats
A few days before she was killed, Jane
said her mother was a picture of an eager grandmother excited about her
first grandchild. “Lola na ako,” (I am now a grandmother.) Jane
recalled her mother saying after talking on the mobile phone with Mira who
just gave birth to her firstborn.
But much as Marlene wanted to visit
her apo (grandchild), who was living in another city in Mindanao,
the threats to her life did not allow her to do so.
A week before Marlene was killed, Jane
said, her mother started to notice suspicious looking men buying goods
from their sari-sari (variety) store. One of them, Jake, who acted as
lookout during the murder, even befriended Peter, said Jane. Jake was
later identified as Randy Grecia after he surrendered to authorities.
On the day of the killing, Jane said
Grecia was around the vicinity of their home as early as 9 a.m. and stayed
until early evening. Jane said Grecia bought electronic load for his two
mobile phones and cigarettes.
During lunchtime, another customer who
turned out to be the triggerman, bought cigarettes and ice water, Jane
said. But since there was no ice water available, Jane offered him a glass
of water. Jane said the man hurriedly went inside the dining area to have
a drink while seemingly looking for someone.
Jane said the gunman was later
identified by authorities as Jerry Cabayug.
While Marlene, Peter, Karl and George
were having dinner, Cabayug went back to the store to buy cigarettes from
Jane who was tending the store.
“Nakilala ko na yung mukha nya kasi
tatlong beses na syang bumili ng yosi sa akin nung araw na yun. Kaya nung
nag-abot sya ng tatlong piso, kumuha na ako ng yosi at inabot sa kanya,”
(I recognized him because he already bought cigarettes three times that
day. The last time, even before he had told me what he wanted to buy while
in the act of handing me three pesos, I already got cigarettes to give
him.) Jane said.
But when Jane was about to hand him
the cigarettes, Cabayug was gone. “Putok na yung narinig ko, malakas na
putok,” Jane said, “Natulala ako sandali tapos tumakbo na ako sa
loob ng bahay,” (Suddenly I heard gunshots. I was momentarily dazed
before I ran towards our house.)
Inside the dinning area, Jane saw her
mother slumped on the chair, her forehead bleeding.
“Si Peter paikot-ikot, iyak ng iyak.
Ako, hindi ko alam kung tatawag ako ng pulis o militar o ng kapitbahay o
ng kamag-anak. Iniisip ko buhay pa si Mama,” (Peter was going in
circles while crying. I couldn’t decide whether to call the police, the
military, or our relatives. I thought mother was still alive.) Jane said.
It was Karl who ran outside the house
to chase his mother’s killer. “Baka abutan ko pa,” (I thought I
might still catch him.) he said in an interview with Bulatlat.
But Marlene’s killer was able to run
away.
Cabayug was arrested later. Cabayug,
Grecia, Rowie Barua and Estanislao Bismanos, face murder charges before
the Cebu City Regional Trial Court. Authorities named Barua and
Estanislao as the ones who hired Grecia and Cabayug to kill the woman
journalist.
Two DA officials, Osmeña Montaner and
Estrella Sabay, were earlier tagged as masterminds. But the Department of
Justice dropped the charges against them in June. 2005.
The case of Marlene is one of only
three cases of slain journalists that remain active in court. The other
cases filed in court became inactive due to lack of witnesses. There are
still incidences of killings of journalists that have not yet been
investigated.
The IFJ blamed the country’s culture
of impunity for the unabated killings of journalists. And while the
killers go berserk, the trail of blood leaves more and more children
longing for justice for a lost parent. Bulatlat
* For security purposes, names of
the children in this story were changed
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