Archbishop joins call for live coverage of Maguindanao Massacre verdict

A Catholic archbishop on Thursday joined the call to allow live media coverage and streaming of the reading on the verdict of the Maguindanao Massacre case on December 19.

“We want to hear what the court would say [...] That would be very much welcomed by the public," Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamiz said in a statement.

Several groups have asked the Supreme Court (SC) for permission to cover the event as some families of the victims may not be able to hear the reading of the ruling live.

The call was supported by editors and heads of several Manila-based and regional news outfits, including GMA Network, ABS-CBN, News5, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philstar.com, Rappler, Vera Files, MindaNews, and the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the  Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has also asked the SC to allow government's communication agencies to cover the event.

The politically-motivated murder killed 58 individuals, including 32 members of the media, in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009. Suspects of the case include members of the Ampatuan clan.

The verdict will be issued by Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Jumoad expressed hope for a "favorable" decision for the victims and their families.

“It must be favorable to the victims otherwise the public will condemn our justice system [...]  The court must not give so much weight on technicalities but on evidence,” Jumoad said. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News