The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) expressed its support to the baranggay officials of Brgy. Balete for refusing to allow an army camp to be built inside the baranggay. 
 
According to Danilo "Ka Daning" Ramos, secretary general of KMP, "the baranggay officials of Balete should be commended for doing what is right and standing up for the interests of their constituents. Besides the military has no business inside the baranggay as well as the whole hacienda, they are the ones sowing terror among the populace and harassing the militant farmworkers,"
 
"The units of the AFP inside the hacienda are nothing but paid hacks of the Cojuangcos and are assigned there to break the fighting spirit of the strikers by psychological operations and dirty tactics. Many cases of harassments and killing of farm animals have also been documented since the military were assigned inside the hacienda," added the peasant leader.
 
"Aside from these, the military is also being used to destroy the moral fabric of the communities by introducing drugs and irresponsible drinking in the baranggays," added Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary of KMP
 
"Especially now that the farm workers have tilled the soil, we expect heightened militarrization in the area. In this light we are challenging the baranggay officials of the other baranggays to follow the good example of the officials of Baranggay Balete to stand up for the welfare of the people of Hacienda Luisita and kick out the military in the estate," ended Marbella. # # #
 
 

KMP - 23 June 2005