The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), together with its regional chapter in Eastern Visayas the Samahan han Gudti ng Parag-uma-Sinirangan Bisaya (SAGUPA-SB) lambasted the spin doctors of Malacanang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for misinforming the public that what happened in Palo, Leyte yesterday was an encounter. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “the AFP’s impunity is unspeakable. It was not enough for them to massacre innocent farmers, now they are lying through their teeth to hide it. They are adding salt on a fresh wound, they are really insulting us. For the record the peasants who were massacred yesterday are members of San Agustin Farmer Beneficiaries Cooperative, an affiliate organization of the KMP, they are not New People’s Army (NPA) members,”

“The AFP is using the same lies they used in the Hacienda Luisita massacre and what the Traffic Management Group is using in the Ortigas rub-out. It seems a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the AFP and the PNP, that any victim of their atrocities automatically becomes an NPA or a criminal. What the farmers in Palo are doing is just exercising their right to the land like millions of farmers in the country are trying to do. The regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has now instituted political killings to cow the restive public and to perpetuate herself in power,”

Meanwhile Ka Lito Gacusana, secretary general of SAGUPA-SB said, “all the evidence available points to a massacre and not an encounter. First, the identities of the victims, they are all known in the area even the mayor can vouch for them, also some of the victims are baranggay officials themselves like Bernabe Borra, who is the baranggay treasurer in Brgy.Teraza in Palo. Second, elderly people, children, and even a pregnant woman were in the area; these people are obviously not fit for combat. Third, the activity itself “Balik-uma” is open to all even the media was invited to cover the event. Fourth, the victims even sustained hack wounds. Even if it were an encounter, the military is obviously trying to kill anyone alive, violating rules of engagement. Fifth, the supposed weapons and firearms found in the area, which are obviously planted, are so rusty, that no one who is serious in defending himself would use it. Sixth, if indeed that the farmers were the ones who fired the first shot then why was there not a single soldier injured?  Lastly, the military did not allow anyone near the area for more than 5 hours even the police were held at bay by the AFP, they could have done anything on such a long duration, even getting previously confiscated guns in their camp and planting them at the site,”

“This new attack upon peasants and the people reflects the isolation of Gloria and the military. We are still looking into the involvement of the landlord Don Pedring Margallo if he has a hand in this massacre. But definitely we will not stop until justice is served,” ended Gacusana. # # #
 

KMP - 22 November 2005