Justice still elusive to fallen farm-workers and their families

3 years after the infamous Hacienda Luisita Massacre

" Will justice to the victims of Glorietta and Batasan bombings be as elusive as to the fallen farm-workers of Hacienda Luisita and their families?

This was the question raised by the Labor Center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today as workers from all over the country with support from labor organizations in other countries commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the infamous Hacienda Luisita massacre which killed seven farm workers and hurt scores of strikers and supporters. Workers under the militant labor center staged a demonstration at the Bonifacio Shrine, Mehan Garden in Manila and dubbed the activity as the " International Day of Action Against Trade Union Repression in the Philippines".

KMU Chairperson Elmer 'Ka Bong' Labog slammed the Macapagal-Arroyo government for its failure to prosecute and punish the perpetrators of the massacre.

" Three years have passed and no one from the military and police forces who conducted the violent dispersals in the picketlines of the farm-workers which resulted to the massacre were prosecuted and punished. Even the International Labor Organization (ILO) which received a complaint about this carnage, found out that excessive force was used against the strikers and their supporters and even recommended " to identify and punish those responsible without further delay" and requested the Arroyo government "to give adequate instructions to the law enforcement authorities so as to eliminate the danger entailed by the use of excessive violence when controlling demonstrations."

The labor leader expressed dismay that the "criminals who were responsible for the loss of innocent lives" like in the case of the Glorietta and Batasan bombings remain scott-free.

" We are hoping that not only those who had planted the bombs in Glorietta and Batasan be arrested and charged in courts but primarily the masterminds of these heinous crimes against the Filipino people. But we also warn government authorities in its eagerness to score points not to produce fall guys as what they had done in the past. Another travesty of justice will be too much for the country to take and we are sure that Filipinos will not accept it sitting down," Labog said.


The KMU received the report of the ILO concerning its complaint ( Case No. 2528 ) on June 28, 2007. The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association released several recommendations, including its findings and views on numerous trade union and human rights violations in the country.