BATANGAS CITY - Media entities in this city held an indignation-prayer rally in front of the Basilica Immaculada Concepcion in Batangas City Wednesday to condemn the brutal killing of their colleagues in Maguindanao.

Members of the National Union of Jounalist of the Philippines (NUJP)-Batangas chapter, Batangas Newswriters Association (BNA), Batangas Press Club (BPC) and other groups wore black shirts or armbands and  lighted candles at the foot of the statue of Mother Mary. Fr. Boy Vergara and Pastor Junwel Bueno led the prayers.

Renz Belda, NUJP-Batangas chapter chairman, condemned the barbaric act perpetrated in Maguindanao that killed more than 50 people including 12 working journalists. "We call on our government officials to act swiftly on the gruesome massacre and let justice prevails without favoring anyone,” Belda said during the indignation rally.

Veteran broadcaster Rommel Arguelles of KissFM said he could not find words to describe the gruesome incident.
 
“In my 40 years as a media practitioner, ngayon ko lang naranasan ang manlambot matapos mabalitaan ang nangyari sa aking mga kabaro sa Maguindanao," he said.

"Wala akong maikomentaryo sa aking programa dahil sa dami ng mga namatay, talagang nakakalungkot,” he added.

The activity was covered by DZMM, DZRH, DZXL, DWAL-Batangas, Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog, DZGV-Batangas, KissFM, DWAW-Batangas, SpiritFM and other weekly local newspapers.

Members of the NUJP-Batangas and Batangas Newswriters Association guested in the radio program Radyo Totoo Balita over DWAL to discuss the present situation in Maguindanao massacre and the reactions of journalists nationwide including international media organizations.

In support, the ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog management instructed its news team to wear black shirts during coverages.
 
Buluan town Vice-Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu’s wife and his two sisters, escorted by supporters and journalists, were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for governor on behalf of her husband when they were stopped and massacred by 100 armed men in Barangay Saniag, Ampatuan town.

The media practitioners here in Batangas jointly asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to strongly act on the horrible killing in Maguindanao to prove that justice and the rule of law still exist in the country.