Macapagal-Arroyo Regime and Cojuangcos Accountable for the Hacienda Luisita Massacre

Luis T. Jalandoni
Chairperson
Negotiating Panel
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
November 20, 2004

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) vehemently condemns the massacre of the striking workers of Hacienda Luisita and their supporters. The violent dispersal of the Hacienda Luisita strike by military and police forces of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime has caused the death of at least fourteen persons, including two children aged 2 and 5. It has resulted in the injury of hundreds, while another hundred are still missing.

The NDFP holds the Macapagal-Arroyo regime and the Cojuangcos accountable for this carnage. The issuance of the Assumption of Jurisdiction (AJ) by the regime�s Secretary of Labor and Employment, Patricia Sto. Tomas was the excuse for the violent dispersal of the strike by the military and police forces of the regime. Time and again, militant workers have condemned the Assumption of Jurisdiction issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as the regime�s instrument for violating the workers� right to strike. Under the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, it has become a licence to kill striking workers and their supporters.

The Cojuangcos have victimized the Hacienta Luisita workers with slave wages. They have used the stock distribution option (SDO) to thwart the workers� just demand for genuine land reform. And when the workers exercised their right to strike, the Cojuangcos in collusion with the DOLE did not hesitate to have the regime�s military and police shoot down the striking workers.

While this regime protects the interests of big landlords like the Cojuangcos and is subservient to US, British and Dutch interests as shown in the Malampaya gas and oil project, this regime has exposed itself as a killer of workers, peasants and others who oppose its anti-people and anti-national policies. It also spits on the victims of human rights violations by promoting notorious human rights violators like generals Jovito Palparan and Fernando Mesa.

The Hacienda Luisita Massacre follows closely the summary execution of three persons and the forced disappearance of ten young people. These cases of atrocious human rights violations must be placed under the scrutiny of the Joint Monitoring Committee that is mandated to monitor the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

The reign of fascism has come to characterize this regime. It must be exposed, opposed and isolated as an anti-worker, anti-people and anti-national regime.

The NDFP demands justice for the victims of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre and all other victims of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the military and police forces of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime!

Luis G. Jalandoni
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel

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