The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) together with other concerned groups, filed a case at the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the Hacienda Luisita massacre. The cases were conspiracy resulting to multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, grave abuse of authority, serious and less serious physical injuries and it was filed against the Cojuangco-Aquinos, the Hacienda Luisita management, the Northern Luzon Command of the AFP and the PNP. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group,” we have opted to file these cases at the Ombudsman because Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales has already prejudged the case, saying that everybody is to blame for the massacre without taking due consideration of who are the victims. With his position he would not approach the case with impartiality but will always be clouded by his own judgment and in essence is shielding the ones responsible for the massacre,”

“All we are asking for is for justice for the victim of the Hacienda Luisita massacre and that the demands of the strikers be granted, because they have been living in abject poverty since the implementation of the stock distribution option (SDO),” said the peasant leader.

Now violence still continues in the hacienda and the strikers and their supporters are incessantly harassed, threatened and attacked by the goons of Cong. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino. The most recent is the shooting of Jorge Loveland and Ernesto Ramos at the West Gate of the Hacienda last January 5.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information of KMP, “today there is also an ocular investigation in the hacienda by the Human Rights Committee of Congress. All we want is an impartial investigation and we are warning Rep. Etta Rosales to keep her bias to herself and she should really work for the interest of the oppressed. She should stop her posturing as a progressive and act like a true one. 

“Like Gonzales, Rosales is saying that the strikers provoked the police and the military, but that is hardly the case she should be objective in the search for truth and justice or she will nothing more than a toll of the regime,” ended Ala. # # # 

KMP - 13 January 2005