APC supports KMP and UMAs call for free land distribution on the 25th Mendiola massacre anniversary [Philippines]

January 21, 2012 

NEWS RELEASE

Manila, PHILIPPINES --  The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) , with 33 organizational members in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, expresses its support to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) in its call for the “free distribution” of Hacienda Luisita and other agricultural estates in the country in a rally held on Friday joined by more than 1,500 farmers and  other militant groups to commemorate the 1987 Mendiola massacre.

The KMP said the free distribution of lands to farmers, which was the battle cry of those who died in the massacre, remains unfulfilled up to now.

“Twenty-five years ago, we demanded the free distribution of lands, including Hacienda Luisita. But our demands fell on deaf ears and were instead met by bullets of the first Aquino government,” said Danilo Ramos, KMP Secretary General and concurrent secretary general of the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC).

Thirteen peasants were killed while several more were injured when police authorities opened fire to protesting farmers on Jan. 22, 1987 that transpired during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III’s mother, the late Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino.

“The vast majority of farmers remain landless and Hacienda Luisita is still controlled by the Cojuangcos [and] Aquinos. Justice remains elusive to the victims of [the] Mendiola massacre,” Ramos added.

Reopen the case

The KMP has called on Chief Justice Renato Corona to revisit the Mendiola massacre case so that “justice is served to the victims.”

“We are mulling to file a petition before the SC (Supreme Court) that asks the reopening of the Mendiola massacre case. It is high-time for the Supreme Court to revisit its decision denying the victims and their families the justice they deserve,” Ramos said in a statement, adding that the perpetrators of the Mendiola massacre can no longer invoke state immunity from suit after 25 years.

In its March 19, 1993, decision on the case of the Mendiola Massacre, the SC cited the state’s immunity from suit in clearing the Cory Aquino government.“The inescapable conclusion is that the State cannot be held civilly liable for the deaths that followed the incident,” it said.

“We hope that Chief Justice Corona and the justices will grant our petition before it becomes an Aquino-controlled court,” Ramos remarked.

The KMP and APC leader added that legal basis are sufficient to reopen the case because “even the Supreme Court order to indemnify the victims and relatives and recommendations to file charges against the perpetrators were not implemented by the then Aquino government and succeeding governments.

Last year, the KMP called on the Department of Justice to reopen the Mendiola Massacre case and pursue an independent probe. Reports said that justice secretary Leila de Lima ordered the Task Force on Extra-Judicial Killings to determine whether there are grounds to re-investigate the case.

“Up to now, no action has been made by the DOJ on the Mendiola case,” Ramos added.

On that historic day of January 22, 1987, anti-riot personnel from the Western Police District, the Integrated National Police, and the Philippine Marines had opened fire on a protest rally of tens of thousands of peasants demanding “genuine land reform” under the then newly installed Aquino administration.

After the shooting, Danilo Arjona, Leopoldo Alonzo, Adelfa Aribe, Dionisio Bautista, Roberto Caylao, Vicente Campomanes, Ronilo Dumanico, Dante Evangelio, Angelito Gutierrez, Rodrigo Grampan, Bernabe Laquindanum, Sonny Boy Perez, and Roberto Yumul lay dead. More than 80 others were wounded.

The victims' families and the survivors filed charges against the government and several police and military officers for damages amounting to 6.5 million pesos. Among the defendants were former Pres. Fidel Ramos, who was then National Defense Secretary; former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Renato de Villa; former WPD Superintendent B/Gen. Alfredo Lim; Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, then chief of the Philippine Marines; B/Gen. Brigido Paredes, former Marines commandant; Col. Edgar dela Torre and Col. Romeo Monfort of the defunct Capcom; and former PNP Chief Cesar Nazareno, then WPD deputy superintendent.

Notice of eviction

Meanwhile, farm workers from Hacienda Luisita, accompanied by other farmers from Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon today served notice of eviction to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on Friday demanding the Cojuangco-Aquino family and the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) management to quickly vacate the 4,916 hectare of sugar estate by virtue of the Supreme Court decision on Nov.22 last year revoking the Stock Distribution Option (SDO) that paved the way for the distribution of disputed lands to farm worker beneficiaries.

Leaders of Hacienda Luisita based groups Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), the United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) and their mother federation Unyon ng Mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), served the notice of eviction during the farmer rally in commemoration of the 25th year anniversary of Mendiola Massacre.

UMA secretary general Rodel Mesa said aside from “notice of eviction”, the farm worker beneficiaries will also demand President Aquino, the Cojuangco-Aquino family and the HLI management to pay them P 1.33 B which represent their shares from the previous sales of portions of Luisita lands to private interests and commercial groups. Mesa said the notice of eviction also covers the nullification of the 500 hectares of land covered by RCBC, asserting that the land currently occupied by the private bank belongs to Luisita farmworkers and that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) should reversed the conversion permit previously granted to RCBC.

“By virtue of the 14-0 decision of the Supreme Court last Nov.22, 2011, we, the legitimate owners of Hacienda Luisita order President Aquino, the Cojuangco-Aquino feudal aristocrats and their equally brutal syndicate representing the HLI management to leave Hacienda Luisita and pay us P 1.33 B for the sale of portions of Luisita to their clients,” the UMA leader said. Likewise, Mesa said President Aquino has no choice but to withdraw their illegal and immoral claims to Hacienda Luisita, asserting further that President Aquino never divest his interest in Luisita. The Luisita farm worker leader noted that Aquino’s statements after the decision can attest on that.

In addition, Mesa also blasted the trump up charges filed by RCBC against leaders and members of Ambala. “Aquino and his relatives together with RCBC management are in cahoots to sow climate of fear by charging us with baseless complaints. But we are ready to face the complaints with tooth and nails”

The UMA leader said “Their plan is clear; put the farm workers behind bar and turn the decision around in favor of Aquino and his relatives using the Corona impeachment then placing an Aquino appointee as chief justice and reverse the ruling on Hacienda Luisita”. “After the high court decision, the Cojuangco-Aquino’s has no longer had legal claims to the sprawling sugar cane state therefore they are the illegal settlers inside and should leave Hacienda Luisita. Their prolong stay only causes tensions between them and the farm worker beneficiaries. They should also stop prying in the court decision by running after absurd claims and forum shopping to delay the actual land distribution” Mesa ended.

The APC secretariat, the PAMALAKAYA (National Federation of Small Fisherfolks of the Philippines), and AMIHAN (National Federation of Peasant Women), joined the rally at Mendiola. The KMP, UMA, AMIHAN and PAMALAKAYA are members of the APC in the Philippines.  #