The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and its local chapter the Alyansa ng Manggagawang-bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) expressed fears that the brutal assassination of CATLU president Ricardo Ramos is going to be whitewashed by the authorities. 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “all the indicators are pointing to a whitewash. First, the military and the police are saying that the 2 identified military men involved cannot be treated as suspects yet. Second, the military as well as the police fooled the media in saying that there was a military pullout in the hacienda, but this was just for show and third, the Hacienda Luisita massacre is almost a year now but what has happened? Justice up until now has not been served, but what do you expect when the ones doing the investigation are also the ones involved in the crime,”

“With this scenario, the most the NOLCOM and Palparan can do is to produce fall guys to save the face of the AFP and Gloria or stonewall, but we are watching their moves every step of the way. We will not stop until justice for all the victims of this dictatorial regime has been served,” added the peasant leader.
 
Meanwhile Rene “Ka Boyet” Galang, president of the United Luisita Worker’s Union (ULWU) and AMBALA, stated the location of the military personnel in the hacienda to disprove their supposed pull-out “in Barangay Parang, Concepcion, one of the barangays comprising the hacienda, at least 70 soldiers remained to date. In Barangay Balete some 100 soldiers are still camped at the Aqua Farm compound located at the edge of the barrio. In Barangay Central, at least three soldiers are deployed as well as in the rest of the barangays. Scores of heavily armed CAFGU personnel stalk the hacienda,”
 
 “A platoon of soldiers who were moved out of the hacienda merely encamped near the barangay hall in Barangay San Miguel only within 100 meters from the gates of NOLCOM and across the Macarthur Highway from the hacienda. On October 30 in Barangay Balete, soldiers burned a hut of the striking workers along the main entry road near the East Gate of Las Hacienda de Luisita Subdivision. Some nine soldiers who rented a house beside my house are still in the barangay to the discomfort of the people. Also last Saturday, October 29, the two soldiers who were identified as being involved in the killing--Sgt. Roderick "Joshua" dela Cruz and Sgt. Romy Castillo—were monitored in Barangay Balete trying to find people whom they can use as witnesses to establish an alibi on the night of the murder,” added Galang
 
 “We condemn the duplicity of NOLCOM, the Cojuangco-Aquino family and the Arroyo government to cover up the murder. As they did in the November 16, 2004 Hacienda Luisita massacre, they are again laying the blame on others on what is their own handiwork,” ended Galang. # # #
 
 

KMP - 2 November 2005