We are posting a comment from New England Press‘ Mark Murphy, brother-in-law of fallen journalist Robert Ramos:
Robert Ramos was my brother in law. I hadn’t seen him in nearly 15 years, since my marriage to her sister, Leticia Ramos. He had taken to journalism about a year and a half ago, after working for Sharp Philippines in quality control. He had finally found his calling, when he was assassinated this past Sunday, November 20th. He was just 39 years old. My shock is overlaid only by my sadness, and inability to pay my wife’s passage to send her home for his funeral.
In the U.S., journalists face their own risks, but not as they do in the Philippines, where the government is no shield for the journalists that work there, and uncover corruption and crime. My contact with journalism is at best second hand; I took a journalism class in Suffolk University, here in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1981.
I appeal for justice for my brother-in-law, and for all those journalists who have been killed with impunity, in the Philippines and elsewhere, as they’ve been silenced by those who would kill to hide the truth of their dastardly actions. I call for President Arroyo of the Philippines to bring all the resources of her country to bear in bringing those fugitives to justice. I urge all the members of the news media in the Philippines to band together to find Robert Ramos’ killer(s), as well as the killer(s) of Ricardo “Ding†Uy this past Friday. Our prayers are with their family as well. They died trying to pursue the truth; don’t let their work be in vain.
I want to thank all those organizations and individuals, both private and government officials in the Philippines, who have come to console my relatives in what is once again their most difficult hour. Robert left a wife, 2 children, 3 sisters, an elder brother, and mother, and countless people he touched during the short time he worked at the Katapat. My wife is proud of her brother and his accomplishments, as well as the rest of his family. Robert did much of his work outside of our knowledge; it is only now we are beginning to realize the depth of his work, and the lives he touched as a journalist.
I urge you to keep that better side of journalism alive, and not forget those people you touch in your work…
Thank you, again.
Mark Murphy
New England Press
New England Press