The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the killing of Rev. Fr. William Tadena, a Philippine Independent Church priest and is a known supporter of the Luisita farm workers. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) is really on a rampage, just 10 days after their assassination of Coun. Abel Ladera they killed another Luisita supporter. Are they trying to eliminate us all? The pattern of killings is patently the style of military assassins, the modus operandi are also the same as was used in Mindoro during the time of Palparan. It seems that Gen. Romeo Dominguez is using the same strategy, but what is more appalling is that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is permitting it,”

“So called vigilantes that the police and military are saying responsible for the killings would not be this bold. It is only the military operating on the area that would have this kind of impunity, eliminating anyone who stands in their way as well as their masters, the Cojuangco-Aquino clans,” added the peasant leader.

“When would these killings stop? Why is Gloria not doing anything about it or does she know the NOLCOM’s game plan and they have her blessings? We are calling on the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other concerned groups and individuals to help us in this struggle, what the military and the Cojuangco’s are doing is too much,” said Ramos.

Meanwhile Prof. Cesar Tolosa, spokesperson of Tanggol Magsasaka, the human rights desk of KMP, issued a challenge to newly appointed PNP chief Gen. Arturo Lomibao to put a stop to the killings in Tarlac, “as the new PNP chief Gen. Lomibao should show his mettle, he should get to the bottom of this and should not be a party to this killings, even if military men and the police are involved, which is most likely,”

 “He should stand by the people’s rights and not for the narrow interests of the Cojuangco-Aquino clans. If not, then he is no different from the butchers currently in Central Luzon,” ended Tolosa. # # #
 

KMP - 14 March 2005