PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

Hacienda Luisita Massacre was premeditated -- CPP
November 28, 2004

The spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today said he has received information "from sources within the military" indicating that the November 16 Hacienda Luisita Massacre was premeditated by officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said their "military contacts" reported that the same V-150 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) that was used to ram the workers' picket at the Central Azucarrera de Tarlac (CAT) on November 16 had been brought to the camp of the Philippine Army's 80th Infantry Battalion in San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal a day before the dispersal.

"There, a couple of soldiers were ordered to fire several rounds at the APC, ostensibly to prove that the vehicle's body armor could provide protective cover to its passengers," Rosal said, citing reports sent to his office.

"They were actually having fun. Parang nagta-target practice daw," Rosal added. The incident was likewise witnessed by people living near the area," he said.

Rosal said some of those inside the 80th IBPA camp who were present during the "target practice" saw the same APC on TV.

News footages showed that the APC used to ram against the strikers had a marking "4035". They concluded that this was the same V-150 APC with body number A120-4035 which entered the camp of the 80th IBPA on November 15.

"Nakonsyensya ang iba sa kanila. That is why they sought our help," Rosal added. He pointed out that the 80th IBPA was the same AFP unit that gained notoriety for, among others, shooting at four girls aged 10 to 14 at a military checkpoint in Rizal in April this year on the ridiculous pretext that they were NPA guerrillas.

"Apparently, Philippine Army officials wanted the APC to sustain bullet marks in order to use this as supposed evidence that shots were fired from among the strikers and demonstrators in order to justify the shooting spree by soldiers and police," Rosal added.

A few days after the massacre, officials of the Arroyo government, Philippine National Police (PNP) and the AFP went to lengths showing investigators eight bullet marks on the APC used to ram through the picket line.

"What this clearly points to is that certain officials of the AFP, most probably with instructions from their higher-ups and from the Cojuangcos, had clear plans to carry out the shooting at least one day before the massacre," Rosal said.

"This is utterly deplorable. It shows the ruthless mindset of the big landlords and the officials AFP and PNP who are paid to protect their feudal interests," added Rosal.

Several days before the shooting, AFP and PNP officials, including PNP Chief Edgardo Aglipay, were at Hacienda Luisita discussing with the Cojuangcos plans to implement the order of the Department of Labor to break up the strike. In at least four occasions prior to November 16, soldiers and police attempted to disperse the strikers.

"It now appears that officials of the Arroyo government, the AFP and PNP had already come up with a story-line to justify their planned unprovoked shooting of strikers and demonstrators. This is a classic example of wagging the dog. This is not much different from George W. Bush's WMD fairy-tale which he used to justify the war against Iraq," Rosal added.

He said: "This explains why immediately after the massacre, Malacanang, AFP and PNP officials led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita quickly heaped blame on so-called armed infiltrators among the strikers and then came up with fantastic intelligence reports about so-called NPA plans to incite the strikers."

Rosal said they will continue their own investigation into the Hacienda Luisita Massacre. "Those culpable will be appropriately charged at the people's court," added Rosal.

He also urged victims of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre and human rights advocates to file complaints at the Joint Monitoring Commiittee tasked to oversee the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

Rosal said charges may also be filed in international courts.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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