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Pinoy Abroad
Pinay lawyer in Maguindanao case featured in intl campaign vs. impunity
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Private prosecutor Prima Jesusa Quinsayas who is handling Maguindanao massacre case was the lone Filipino to be featured by a Canada-based global network of free expression groups to mark the "International Day to End Impunity." Quinsayas joined 22 other journalists, activists, bloggers, human rights advocates, and artists from around the world in telling stories of how they were threatened and attacked for expressing themselves or doing their jobs. The other featured people by IFEX in its international campaign were from Russia, Mexico, Egypt, Gambia, Vietnam, Palestine, Kyrgyztan, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Azerbaijan among others. IFEX, created in 1992 in Montreal, Canada, is a global network of 90 independent organizations worldwide that aim to expose free expression violations. The collection of stories of the 32 featured individuals were put together in the IFEX's "23 Actions in 23 days Calendar." Their stories were published on the IFEX website everyday starting November 1 and culminating on November 23, regarded as the "International Day to End Impunity." 
Quinsayas is the legal counsel of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), representing families of several journalists killed in the 2009 Maguindanao carnage.
"Prima Jesusa Quinsayas has been a private prosecutor in the most notorious cases of media killings in the Philippines, including for the witnesses and families of the journalists killed in the world's worst attack on the press in recent history: the 2009 Ampatuan massacre," IFEX said.
The group quoted Quinsayas as saying a number of her clients have been indirectly threatened with death, bribed to change their testimony, and persuaded to drop her as legal counsel. The IFEX also said a number of witnesses either faced trumped-up charges or were killed.
"Trying to find eyewitnesses to the massacre puts Quinsayas herself at risk. Over the past few years, she's been followed by unmarked cars, has spotted vehicles lurking around her apartment, and received threatening text messages," the IFEX said.
Threats IFEX also noted how Quinsayas "played down" the threats to her life, adding that other prosecutors have faced worse threats.
"Despite the protracted criminal proceedings, and the country's entrenched culture of impunity, she feels that justice will eventually triumph," said the IFEX.
Asked why she remains hopeful that justice would be served, Quinsayas replied: "Otherwise, I have no business being a private prosecutor."
In a separate interview with GMA News Online, Quinsayas shared how she also draws motivation from her very own clients.
"There are times the spirit of the victims' families seems to waver... but they bounce back with the support of one another. When one says nothing seems to be happening, another boosts his morale and says justice will prevail," she said.
"The families have a strong support group/system within and among them," Quinsayas said.
Quinsayas however admitted feeling "a little disappointed" when things don't go the way of the prosecution throughout the three years of the murder trial.
Call to action
Along with the feature on Quinsayas was an online petition calling on the Philippine government to improve the rule of law, through improved witness protection and increased police resources, among others, to end impunity in journalists’ murders in the country.
"On this third anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre, we, the undersigned call on the President and the Justice Department to put an end to impunity in the Philippines by taking the necessary steps," read the petition.
The petition was addressed to President Benigno Aquino, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan, and Martin Meñez of the DOJ Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program.
The group appealed to the Philippine government to:
(1) strengthen the rule of law;
(2) improve oversight of the local government's appointment of police to prevent undue political influence on police investigations of killings involving powerful politicians;
(3) improve the capacity of police and crime scene teams to conduct thorough forensic investigations;
(4) strengthen the Witness Protection Program under the Department of Justice;
(5) provide greater protection for state and private prosecutors working on media killings;
(6) review court rules and regulations that allow undue delays in the conduct of trials, and
(7) and call on the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for collective action to address issues of impunity. - VVP, GMA News
Images from IFEX /Allan de los Angeles
