Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Vol. VI, No. 14      May 14-20, 2006      Quezon City, Philippines

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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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