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Funeral for one of slain journalists also his wedding day


KIDAPAWAN CITY - Not even death could keep them apart. Inside a church in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, on Monday, a tearful Argie Gulipato walked down the aisle in a white wedding dress, surrounded by equally tearful friends and relatives. But it was no ordinary wedding, for it also doubled as a funeral for the bride's groom, 30-year-old journalist John Caniban, one of the journalists slain in last week's grisly massacre in Maguindanao province. Argie was all set to marry her John this December. All the wedding preparations were in place; in fact, the two had already signed the documents for their marriage license two months ago. The couple's plans, however, tragically ended when John, along with more than 50 other journalists, members, and associates of the Mangungudatu clan were brutally massacred in Ampatuan town last November 23. John was one of five staffers of Periodico Ini, a Koronadal City-based weekly newspaper, killed in the mass slaughter. [See: After massacre, only editor of Koronadal weekly survives]
Not even death stopped Argie Gulipato from marrying long-time boyfriend John Caniban (photo inset), who was among the 30 journalists killed in the grisly massacre in Maguindanao last Nov. 23. At least 57 people were killed in the violence that is blamed on the powerful Ampatuan clan.
Dream come true Argie said she has long hoped that John, with whom she has an eight-month-old daughter, would take her to the altar. So even though their wedding on Monday was not what they had in mind, the bride said the ceremony was still "a dream come true." "We wanted to have the wedding celebrations this December," Argie said in Cebuano in an interview. “I’m happy and fulfilled." Pastor Ed Gabuat of the Miracle of Life, a Born Again Christian church, said tears were rolling down the faces of everyone in attendance when they saw the bride, who was carrying her baby, walk toward the altar with her groom's coffin being pushed beside her. “Nahihirapan ako na magbigkas ng wedding vows nila. Di ko alam ang sasabihin (It was difficult for me asking Argie and John about their vows. I don’t know what to say)," said Pastor Ed in a separate interview. He even shrugged off the fact that the rite performed was incomplete. “The groom has not said his ‘I do.’ But I performed the ceremony as this was really the plan of Argie and John." "During the wedding ceremonies that I presided, we witness vows being made as we pray for the couples. But Argie and John’s case was different. This was my first time," he said. "I was crying. I just can’t look at the couple," added Pastor Ed. Funeral After the wedding, John was finally laid to his rest at a cemetery in Isulan town. John was one of the 30 journalists, mostly from General Santos City and Koronadal City, who joined the convoy of Genalyn Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael “Toto" Mangudadatu, in filing his certificate of candidacy at the Maguindanao provincial election office in Shariff Aguak town. While on their way to Shariff Aguak, they were waylaid by a group of armed men along the highway in Ampatuan town, and were brought to Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman, where they were killed. The Sultan Kudarat Media Group, of which John was an officer, held a candle-lighting activity on Monday in Tacurong City for their slain co-workers. "We will file murder charges against the perpetrators. We will not rest until justice is served," said Benjie Caballero, president of the Sultan Kudarat Media Group. - RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV
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