No words can describe the bestial acts perpetrated yesterday in Maguindanao against civilians, mostly women. Together with the group were two sisters and the wife of Esmael Mangudadatu, Vice Mayor of Buluan town, who were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy as provincial governor of Maguindanao when they were attacked in broad daylight. They were murdered in cold blood and there were reports that some of the women were also sexually violated, in a senseless massacre that will go down in the annals of this country’s history as the worst election-related violence. If unarmed women, lawyers and journalists are not safe, who is safe? (more…)