The brutal, indiscriminate mass murder on Monday in Ampatuan town, in Maguindanao province, raises the ultimate challenge of conscience. It carries the culture of impunity at work in this country to such levels of horror that, if it remains unpunished for long, can send the nation into an inexorable descent into absolute dehumanization.

The reason Monday’s incident became international news is because of the high number of victims killed all at once and because so many were journalists and women. Had the killings been spread out over weeks and months, very few outside of the province would have heard of it.

The 30 media workers comprise more than half of the 57 confirmed casualties of what is now known as the Maguindanao Massacre, according to a list compiled and verified by the Humanitarian and Fact-Finding Mission of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), a network of independent media organizations, including the PCIJ.

A week after the gruesome massacre that claimed 64 lives in Ampatuan, Maguindanao, various cause-oriented groups today will hold a March Against Impunity to demand justice for the victims. The groups will assemble at the University of Sto. Tomas before marching toward the Don Chino Roces Monument in Mendiola Bridge. Joining the march are journalists, lawyers, artists, human rights activists, women’s rights advocates, students and religious.

While government remains optimistic that remittances and Christmas spending will help pick up the economy after weak third quarter growth, research group IBON said there is no reason to be certain that the economy is going to achi

“Maguindanao is mired in an atmosphere of impunity, the causes of which are not only traceable to the proliferation of warlords and private armies, but to systemic neglect by national authorities to control these private armies and their patrons,” says CHR chairman Leila de Lima. “There are national officials who must be held accountable, perhaps not directly for the murders last Monday, but for allowing warlordism to fester in Maguindanao and elsewhere.”

Dozens of groups in the Philippines and abroad have denounced the Maguindanao massacre.

Click here to view a list of the statements and manifestos released so far.

“President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo must not let her political association with the Ampatuan family stand in the way of a speedy and impartial investigation into the incident. The national government must step in and enforce the law since the local police is not likely capable of conducting an impartial probe or may be vulnerable to pressure by the powerful political families in the province.”

Migrante Sectoral Party today slammed the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) dismissal of the party’s verified opposition to the poll body’s decision to disqualify Migrante from participating in the next year’s party-list race.

During her stay in Belgium, Edita Burgos will attract the attention of European and Belgian politicians, human rights organisations, solidarity movements and the general public towards the human sights situation in the Philippines.

Greenpeace today challenged Bayer to stop contaminating the world’s rice supply with GMOs (genetically modified organisms), during a forum on rice genetics sponsored by the giant agrochemical company and hosted by IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) in Manila.

Reacting to the incident, the CHR Chairperson Leila M. De Lima remarked, “The use of firearms is strictly prohibited during demolition operations. The PNP has no justification for the discharge of firearms, whether for the purpose of firing warning shots, disabling or killing protesters.”

A celebrated author of children’s stories and literary professor from the University of the Philippines, Eugene Evasco has further cemented his stature in the world of Filipino literature as he joins this year the ranks of Palanca Hall of Famers.

“The victory of Manny Pacquiao shows the whole world what a true Mindanawon Filipino can do amidst adversity. His grit and determination in conquering all odds are values very closed not only to Filipinos but more so to every Mindanawon,” said AMIN Rep. Ariel C. Hernandez.

Fr. Roberto Reyes, a staff member of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), is one of the 25 people who joined the protestors–two of whom are Catholic priests and sixteen of whom are Mangyans; as well as seven others. The group has pledged to go on a hunger strike until their demands are met.