Various organizations of farmworkers, youth, and church people commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita massacre on November 16. The commemoration featured a tribute to the martyrs of the strike and the supporters of the farmworkers’ struggle, including Bishop Alberto Ramento and Fr. William Tadena of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), Ricardo Ramos, Marcelino Beltran, Abel Ladera, and others.
“Remembering the massacre remains painful, even after 20 years,” said a member of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA).
“In the past 20 years, the ultimate sacrifice of up to 20 people have not been wasted because the blood that fertilized our soil has nourished a new generation who will carry on the fight and secure the triumph of our struggle,” an AMBALA leader vowed. Seven of them died on the day of the massacre, and 13 in the succeeding years of struggle.
As early as 2012, the Supreme Court ruled to distribute the entire 5,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita to 6,453 farmworkers. Despite this, the landlord Cojuangco-Aquino family relentlesly maneuvered to block land distribution using the courts, legislation, their government position, and the military and police. Colluding with successive regimes, the family subjected the land to various conversion schemes and introduced new landgrabbers like the Floirendo and Aboitiz families.
The latest maneuver was Marcos Jr’s cancellation of the Notice of Coverage the Department of Agrarian Reform issued in 2014, which covered 318 hectares of land grabbed by the Tarlac Development Corporation (TADECO). The Ayala family grabs this land as part of the 588 hectares it plans to convert into commercial space. In 2019, the Ayala family began demolishing the farmworkers’ homes in Barangay Central in the hacienda, threatening to evict 987 families.
Reclaiming past victories, continuing the struggle
The violence against farmworkers is relentless. The military, police, local government, and the NTF-Elcac even attempted to block the commemoration on November 16. According to AMBALA, they had reserved the covered court for the event way back in July, but the 3rd Mechanized IB suddenly launched a “medical mission” with the surrendered and ousted AMBALA leader and NTF-Elcac agent Florida Sibayan.
“Florida Sibayan is profitting from the members of AMBALA and ordinary farmworkers. Pretending to give relief, she obtains their signature and presents them as NPA (New People’s Army) surrenderees. What for? For the reward. That traitor has shallow principles,” an AMBALA leader said.
After the activity, residents reported that soldiers from the 3rd MIB, including Sibayan, threatened the commemoration participants in their homes. Among them was Samahan ng mga Kabataang Demokratiko ng Asyenda Luisita (SAKDAL) youth member RV Bautista whom the military claimed to have captured on video participating in the event. Earlier, the military questioned a farmer from Asturias, Hacienda Luisita as to who attended the commemoration.
Despite this, the farmworkers remain steadfast in their resolve to reclaim their past victories and continue the struggle.
“No suppression will stop us. As long as the farmworkers have a basis for struggle, we and the youth will continue to fight and uphold the struggle,” an AMBALA leader said.
Currently, farmworkers continue to cultivate the land in various parts of the hacienda to defend their right to the land.
