Malacañang disclosed Saturday that President Arroyo will give P100,000 to each victims of the Maguindanao massacre, including the journalists.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde announced over government-run DZRB that the P100,000 to be given to each victim will be sourced from the President’s Social Fund.

“I am very happy t o announce that President Arroyo is giving at least P100,000 to each of the victims of the (Maguindanao massacre) from her social fund,” Remonde said. According to Remonde, the Chief Executive has tasked Presidential Assistant on Mindanao Jesus Dureza to submit the names of the victims for the disbursement of the financial assistance.

Remonde said Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor was tasked to prioritize the journalists who were killed in the Maguinadanao massacre, including giving assistance to their families.

Blancaflor heads Task Force 211, the governmental task Force against political violence. The Press Secretary said that contrary to reports that there has been little or no accomplishment made by Task Force 211, he said there are media killings which had been solved by the Task Force but had not been given much attention.

Citing some of the accomplishments
made by the Task Force, Remonde said, “Pag nasolve na ang mga kaso, pag convicted na ang killer, hindi na napapansin. It leaves the impression na hindi nasosolve ang media killings,” he said.

Remonde, meanwhile, said the filing of multiple murder charges against Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is “just the beginning.”

“ This is only the beginning as President Arroyo has [ordered the] full investigation to be conducted on this case regardless of who are involved and depending on the evidence gathered and warranted by law, charges will be filed and those concerned will be brought to the courts of justice,” he said.

Remonde likewise assured that the investigation will go “free and unfettered.”

As this developed, President Arroyo is set to visit Maguindanao next week to personally extend sympathies to the families of at least 57 slain victims in the massacre considered to be deadliest election-related violence in the country.

Remonde said there will be no Cabinet meeting next week to pave way for the President’s visit to Maguindanao, which along with Cotabato City and Sultan Kudarat, was placed under the state of emergency.

He said they will assess the situation on the ground next week before the President pays visit to the troubled area. She is also scheduled to inaugurate a green energy project in Aklan.

Remonde said the government still needs the service of Dureza in securing the protection of the families of the victims amid the directive of President Arroyo delegating the full powers to Interior and Local Secretary Ronaldo Puno to supervise the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Justice Secretary Agnes Devandera said the government should broaden and intensify the declaration of the state of emergency in Maguindanao and neighboring provinces.

She said the declaration must remain in these areas since the situation on the ground is still volatile.

She also appealed to those who have information about the November 23 to come out and help the government to hunt after the perpetrators of the gruesome killing.