The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), together with its local chapter in Hacienda Luisita the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang-bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) and the peasant women organization Amihan, again protested in front of the house of former president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino in Times Street.

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “this protest is to call for the stop of the fascist measures being implemented in the plantation. The guards, police and the military attempted to crush the picket line twice and now there is a military barricade surrounding the area and no one is allowed to enter or exit the premises, even the food of the strikers are not allowed to go in. Is this the policy of the so-called the champion of democracy in our country?

“With this happening in the hacienda, Rep. Noynoy Aquino was appointed as deputy speaker for Luzon in the House of Representatives. This is a glaring insult to farmers especially to the ones inside Hacenda Luisita. How can a scion of a landlord family represent the predominantly peasant population of Luzon? Add to that the fact that they are despotic and continues to harass and exploit their farmworkers,” added the peasant leader.

Meanwhile Carina Espino, secretary general of AMBALA, “it is as if the Cojuangco and Aquino families treament of their farmworkers is not bad enough, now the whole hacienda seems like a military base. The 69th, 70th, 71th Infantry Battalions are there as well as the 708th Infantry Brigade, add to that the police, guards and the Yellow Army of the Cojuangco’s, are they planning a massacre? Besides, the military presence in the area is illegal because this is a private dispute, they have no right to be there. It just goes to show that they are under the pay of the Cojuangcos.Even media organizations keep maligning our demands, it seems that the Cojuangco’s money and influence machinery is grinding,”

“The Martial rule in the hacienda must stop. The police and the military must immediately pulled-out, if this is not done then how can the Cojuangco’s say that they are willing to talk when the trucheons and guns are always aimed at us?” ended Espino. # # #
 

KMP - 10 November 2004