The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), together with its local chapter the  Alyansa ng Manggagawang-bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) stormed the Department of Land Reform (DLR) and demanded the immediate junking of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO).

 According to Ka Willy Marbella, spokesperson of KMP, “the DLR has insulted us long enough after more than a decade calling for the junking of the SDO, almost nothing has been done to this end. More and more farm workers in the hacienda are dying if not in the struggle for genuine land reform, they are dying of hunger,”

“The DLR itself has recognized that the SDO is extremely one-sided against the farm-workers in Hacienda Luisita, and it has created a task force to look in to the matter but after more than a year and after the massacre, still they have done nothing. If only they had acted earlier the massacre may have been prevented, they are also to blame for what happened along with the AFP, PNP, DOLE and Malacanang,” added the peasant leader.

“They are adding insult to injury by sitting on the case and in essence is taking the side of the Cojuangcos by letting the farm workers suffer abject poverty up till now,” explained Marbella.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of the group, “does Sec. Rene Villa think that after the media blitz that the massacre generated,the plight of the farm workers  may have improved or they forgot what is causing their continuing suffering? Sorry to tell you secretary but it is not that easy to fight for genuine land reform. If you are really a true servant of peasants then grant the farm workers their demand and junk the SDO,”

“Don’t you think that they have suffered long enough or are you also a tool of the Cojuangcos to further prolong the agony of the farm workers?” queried Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 21 February 2005