East Asia journalists support legal action on slain journalists in Philippines

Journalists joined in East Asia Regional Media Program held here signed on Thursday a document to show support on legal action over the killing of more than 30 journalists in a single attack that took place in Maguindanao, the Philippines November last year.

The document will be delivered to the Philippines' presidential office by the country's journalist delegation.

"The support was on the behalf of the journalists, to show the concern on the violent act against journalist who were in their duty to cover events based on journalism principle that would be informed to the public," Alan Samson, a New Zealand journalist who chaired the last session of the program participated by more than 50 journalists said.

The killing against the journalists took place in November when a group of journalists covered the registration of governor candidate in Maguindanao, southern part of the Philippines.

The journalist entourage consisted of journalists, lawyers and family of Mangundadatu, was intercepted by armed group, who believed to be ordered by the family of Ampatuan, the incumbent governor.

They were shot at on the scene and their bodies were buried hastily nearby the shooting scene.

Source: Xinhua