Eighteen countries have honored the courage of the journalists who lost their lives 15 years ago in the Maguindanao massacre and reiterated their call on the Philippine government to bring the remaining perpetrators accountable for the murder.
Members of the Media Freedom Coalition in the Philippines said they welcome the resolution of the murder trial against those primarily responsible, but they still want the other accomplices to be brought to justice.
"It is through a clear understanding of our past, and by building on lessons learned, that we can move forward toward a better future—one that continues to uphold justice, accountability and the rule of law," the coalition said in a statement.
They said that violence against mediamen poses a grave threat to press freedom and undermines the principles that uphold democracy.
"As such, we urge Philippine authorities to continue investigating and prosecuting all cases of journalist killings effectively," they said.
"We also reiterate our readiness to support the Philippines in its efforts to create a safer environment for journalists, where they can carry out their work without fear for their lives or safety," they added.
The members of the coalition who signed the statement were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.