The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted the Hacienda Luisita Inc. management for its anti- worker stance and its insistence of its dubious agenda against the striking farmworkers under the United Luisita Worker’s Union (ULWU) and workers underthe Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU). 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, spokesperson of  KMP, “it seems that the negotiations is nothing but a show to the management of the Hacienda Luisita and they acceded to this to please the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and so that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s would not lose face in front of the nation. But as the talks would attest which was postponed twice by the management, they are not serious in ending the dispute and the Cojuangco-Aquinos are just interested in lip service and double talk,”

“Are they not ashamed of what they did to the farm workers and workers of the estate? Now they are adding insult to injury. The management’s position now is that they will allow the retrenched workers to go back but that even the 1-2 mandays assured all the workers would be scrapped, which essentially would mean that they can fire the workers anytime they want. Instead of alleviating the plight of the farm workers and workers the HLI management is making it worse. While the farmworkers are willing to bargain with their demands the management is only intent in union busting. ” added the peasant leader
As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP, “the allegation of the military that the Hacinda Luisita issue is a matter of national security is nothing but baloney.Since when did a land and labor dispute become a matter of national security? All the AFP wants to do is justify its presence in the area. 

“The mere fact that the ULWU and CATLU are in the negotiations is a testament that they are serious in addressing the situation peacefully. It is the management’s, the military’s and the police’s actions that are violent. Lest they forget the ones who died were farm workers and not one came from the military,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 3 February 2005