PHOTO ESSAY : Lawyer Fighter

In a picture taken during the Martial Law anniversary in Davao City two years ago, Lawyer Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela carries a placard condemning the extrajudicial killings in the country. 

Brizuela was one of the two lawyers killed in a massacre in Maguindanao. She and Cynthia Oquendo, both legal counsels of the Mangudadatus, were part of the convoy of journalists, politicians and their supporters on their way to Maguindanao’s Shariff Aguak town to file the candidacy of Buluan vice mayor Ismael Ampatuan.

The two lawyers, both members of the progressive lawyers’ group United People’s Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM), joined the growing list of lawyers killed under the Arroyo administration.

“This barbaric mass murder not only indicates the early onset of pre-election violence,” UPLM said in a statement. “It also shows that the culture of impunity clearly pervades with the existence of warlord-maintained private armies that have long been tolerated by the government, past and present.” (contributed photo)

2 Comments to “PHOTO ESSAY : Lawyer Fighter”

1. edgar cadano says:

   November 25, 2009 at 1:46 am

   dear connie,

   i was nervous re-reading the news reports last night. i could not stop crying as i denounce your brutal killing with the mangudadato family and our media family. your face wearing that signature smile while we worked together at DxND kept on coming into my mind as I remember you flashing the L sign and your yellow ribbon tied on your head as we separately joined the first, biggest political rally in kidapawan following ninoy’s assasination. toning, I saw your hand dug from the ground of maguindanao. it was so nice of you to show your hand flashed on tv so we could at least say our goodbye to you, my dear friend. for me, your hand was bidding bye as we continue to long for peace and justice in mindanao. so long my friend. we will continue to fight for peace in mindanao as we will fight to seek justice for your death and our fellow journalists. rest in peace atty. connie brizuela.

   madamo salamat sa pagserbisyo sa katawhan nga ginalupig.
2. Atty.Sheila simsima says:

   November 25, 2009 at 2:02 pm

   Marami ang mga kaso sa Mindanao na hindi nabigyan ng hustisya dahil sa kapabayaan ng atin Gobyerno or Bulok na Gobyerno na walang ibang isinisigaw sa mamayan na tayong mga Pilipino ay Unti unting nakaahon sa kahirapan.Mayroon din nagsasabing ang pangulong aroyo ay hindi tinutupad ang ilang batas na pinatutupad.karamihan po sa atin ay naghahangad ng hustisya para sa ating mga kapatid na pinaslang ng mga d matutukoy na armado na umanoy ka alyado rin ng pangulo .hindi license ang mga baril na ginagamit ng ibang private security ng ilang politika.kung malala po natin ung sakupin ng ARMM ang mindanao na ang utak ay si Pangulong GLoria Arroyo Kapalit umano ng pagkapanalo nya sa eleksyon .pero hindi po nagtagumpay sa kadahilanan marami ang totol sa isang kasunduan ng Muslim at ang malacañang.Sa ngaun ang katanungan ng lahat lalo na kami ang na isang kapamilya ng nasawi sa masacre sa maguindanao.Mabigyan pa kaya ng Hustisya ang Maguidanao Masacre? Alam naman ng lahat na ang salarin ay malapit sa Pangulo .Sa panahong Ito Batas ba ang mangingibabaw ?or Pwedi naman pag usapan ang isyo tungkol d2.