Mindanao Catholics offer 3 days of prayer for Ampatuan massacre victims

Catholics in Mindanao are offering three consecutive days of prayer for the victims of last year's Ampatuan massacre. Members of multi-sectoral groups on Sunday afternoon attended the first of three Triduum (from the Latin word meaning "three days) Masses led by Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo. "The incident taught us a lot of lessons ... Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Bagaforo said in an article posted Monday on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site. Bagaforo said from Sunday to Tuesday, the faithful will offer prayers for the massacre victims before the 5:30 p.m. Triduum mass. At least 57 people, 32 of them media workers, were killed in last year's incident. One year not enough for healing Bagaforo said one year may not be enough for the victims' kin to heal. The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre, occurred on November 23, 2009 in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province in Mindanao. At the time, the massacre victims were on their way to file Esmael Mangudadatu's certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor. Mangudadatu, then Buluan vice mayor, won the gubernatorial post during the May 10 polls. The 57 people who were brutally killed and buried in a mass grave in Ampatuan town included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy. Bagaforo said the incident underscored the need for political maturity among the citizenry who should elect people worthy of public trust. Week for peace He noted that ironically, the Ampatuan massacre anniversary comes two days before Mindanao celebrates its “Week for Peace" from November 25 to December 2. Cotabato’s clergy will meet to discuss possible strategies to inform the general public of the results of the Konsult Mindanao where multi-sectoral groups participated in focused group discussions on ways to pursue peace in Mindanao. “We will also discuss our appropriate response to the pastoral statement from the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference held last month in Digos, Davao del Sur which focused on peace," Bagaforo said. On Nov. 29, two groups of bikers will hold their “Bike for Peace" from Cotabato City to the massacre site some 60 kilometers away. Another group will leave Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat and pedal their way to the venue about 50 kilometers away. “The groups will also include motorbike enthusiasts and representatives from various sectors, including the military, police, media, local government units and Non-Government Organizations who will join our interfaith prayer for peace and justice," Bagaforo said. – VVP, GMANews.TV