MANILA, Philippines: Journalists and relatives of victims of the 2009 massacre in the southern Philippines that left 58 people dead, half of them media workers, on Wednesday marched to the presidential palace to protest the absence of convictions in the ongoing trial seven years since the killings took place.
The march, a Mass and a candle-light at a southern cemetery where some of the victims are buried marked the anniversary of the Nov. 23, 2009, massacre in Ampatuan town, the bloodiest election-related killings in the Philippines and the world’s worst single attack on journalists.
The victims were traveling in a convoy of vehicles when they were flagged down and escorted to a hilltop opening where police and gunmen loyal to a local warlord are accused of summarily executing them and burying them in mass graves. The brazen killing was supposed to prevent the provincial strongman’s rival from contesting elections in one of the poorest and most violent corners of the country.
“It’s been seven years but we have not seen any progress,” Arlene Lupogan, a widow of one of theslain journalists, told reporters as she suppressed her tears. “It is so painful for us that every year we are here but nothing has changed.”
Mary Grace Morales, whose husband and sister were among the 32 media workers killed, lamented that the previous administration’s promise to convict the perpetrators came to nothing. She said families of the victims want to seek a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte to call for justice.
“We cannot do anything but hope,” she said in a telephone interview from southern General Santos City.
Amnesty International expressed disappointment that two consecutive administrations have failed to provide effective and swift justice for the victims and their families, with the trial marked by delays. It said it has yet to see Duterte’s genuine commitment to protect press freedom beyond mere rhetoric.
The trial has been the biggest in the country, with at least 197 people charged, including members of the powerful Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao province, and 112 people arrested and arraigned. The suspects have denied the charges against them.
Amnesty said that suspected perpetrators have posted bail, witnesses have been killed and private armies continue to operate, employed by the same families in Maguindanao province, where the massacre occurred.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said it sees a resurgence of threats and assaults on the independent Philippine press under Duterte, “who would brook absolutely no criticism of his person or his policies.”
But Duterte’s spokesman, Martin Andanar, said the president is determined to prevent a repeat of the massacre and to protect journalists.
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Families await justice years after Philippine massacre
Families await justice years after Philippine massacre
Viral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animals
BUENOS AIRES: On a recent Sunday, a Buenos Aires plaza transformed into a makeshift wilderness for an unusual group of teenagers.
Sofía, wearing a lifelike beagle mask, ran across the grass on all fours. Nearby, 15-year-old Aguara leapt through the air, clearing an obstacle course while imitating the precise movements of a Belgian breed dog. Others dressed as cats and foxes perched in the branches of trees, keeping their distance from curious onlookers.
It was the latest gathering of “therians,” individuals who say they identify mentally, spiritually or psychologically with non-human animals. The trend has taken over Argentine social media over the past few months, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag #therian has surpassed 2 million posts, with Argentina leading all other Latin American countries in engagement. The surge has drawn the attention of influencers and media outlets alike, sparking reactions that range from laughter and bewilderment to outright anger.
And as the movement gains traction, psychologists are stepping in to analyze the phenomenon and its place in public discourse.
Aguara, who claims to identify as a Belgian Malinois and counts her age as the equivalent of two years and two months in dog years, says she’s a lot like any other teenager.
“I wake up like a normal person and live my life like a normal person,” she said. “I simply have moments when I like being a dog.”
As the leader of what she calls her “pack,” Aguara — the name she identifies with — boasts more than 125,000 followers on TikTok and coordinates regular meetups around the Argentine capital.
Aru, a 16-year-old who wore a seal mask to the park meetup, said she considers herself part of the “otherpaw” branch of therians: individuals who wear masks and tails or move on all fours just for fun. “It’s not necessarily about identifying as an animal,” she said.
She reckons the therian trend took off in Argentina because of the country’s “fairly free” environment. For other young Argentines, the movement has provided a vital community where they can feel truly accepted.
Should parents be worried?
Débora Pedace, a psychologist and director of the Integral Therapeutic Center in Buenos Aires, acknowledged that the phenomenon generates a complex mix of confusion, laughter and even anger.
“From a psychological standpoint, this is a symbolic identification with an animal,” Pedace said. “It becomes pathological or alarming only when it turns into a deeply rooted belief and the person fully assumes the role of an animal, potentially leading to self-harm or hurting others.”
Sofía, wearing a lifelike beagle mask, ran across the grass on all fours. Nearby, 15-year-old Aguara leapt through the air, clearing an obstacle course while imitating the precise movements of a Belgian breed dog. Others dressed as cats and foxes perched in the branches of trees, keeping their distance from curious onlookers.
It was the latest gathering of “therians,” individuals who say they identify mentally, spiritually or psychologically with non-human animals. The trend has taken over Argentine social media over the past few months, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag #therian has surpassed 2 million posts, with Argentina leading all other Latin American countries in engagement. The surge has drawn the attention of influencers and media outlets alike, sparking reactions that range from laughter and bewilderment to outright anger.
And as the movement gains traction, psychologists are stepping in to analyze the phenomenon and its place in public discourse.
Aguara, who claims to identify as a Belgian Malinois and counts her age as the equivalent of two years and two months in dog years, says she’s a lot like any other teenager.
“I wake up like a normal person and live my life like a normal person,” she said. “I simply have moments when I like being a dog.”
As the leader of what she calls her “pack,” Aguara — the name she identifies with — boasts more than 125,000 followers on TikTok and coordinates regular meetups around the Argentine capital.
Aru, a 16-year-old who wore a seal mask to the park meetup, said she considers herself part of the “otherpaw” branch of therians: individuals who wear masks and tails or move on all fours just for fun. “It’s not necessarily about identifying as an animal,” she said.
She reckons the therian trend took off in Argentina because of the country’s “fairly free” environment. For other young Argentines, the movement has provided a vital community where they can feel truly accepted.
Should parents be worried?
Débora Pedace, a psychologist and director of the Integral Therapeutic Center in Buenos Aires, acknowledged that the phenomenon generates a complex mix of confusion, laughter and even anger.
“From a psychological standpoint, this is a symbolic identification with an animal,” Pedace said. “It becomes pathological or alarming only when it turns into a deeply rooted belief and the person fully assumes the role of an animal, potentially leading to self-harm or hurting others.”
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