Teacher's teacher

20 plus mansions owned by the Ampatuans, huge amounts of cash owned by the Ampatuan dynasty, 161 suspects responsible in the most gruesome, heinous crimes committed against 57 victims in Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines; many more witnesses come out to let truth and justice prevail yet the families of the victims continue grieving and will forever ask why?

The Philippines, sad to say, has been declared the most dangerous country for journalists. Imagine more than 10 of them died because they decided to cover a supposed to be matter of course: to file one's candidacy. Now this so-called ordinary exercise of one's right will forever be known the saddest moment of disrespect against human lives. Imagine again, dead bodies shot again and again when they are already dead. Others were shot in the most private parts of their bodies. Some of the dead bodies got buried together with their vehicles. Tapes that are played again and again should remind us that we are all equal - in the eyes of God and no one - Ampatuan or not - ever has the right to take away a person's life.

It is therefore painful to hear residents from Shariff Aguak who do not mind their poverty while the Ampatuans have all the wealth. They say:"the Ampatuans are rich for their politics while we just need a little space for our farm and if the Ampatuans give us rice or food, we are happy to accept."

Now we know why there are monsters as there are good people. Only God knows who we truly are. "Hudas not pay" is the indirect way of the jeepney driver reminding commuters to pay their fares: "Hudas not pay".