Compensation sought for 13 victims of Mendiola Massacre

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A party-list representative has asked President Duterte’s government to recognize the 13 people who were killed in the Mendiola Massacre 30 years ago in order to compensate their families.

The massacre victims, mostly from Central and Southern Luzon, were shot when policemen and soldiers violently dispersed a rally demanding land reform at Mendiola Bridge close to Malacañang on Jan. 22, 1987.

Recognition would grant compensation to the victims’ families, similar to reparations for martial law victims under the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said in a statement.

“If it was done for the rights victims of martial law, it is possible for the victims of Mendiola Massacre, especially since it was carried out under the [administration of the late President Corazon Aquino], who promised that land reform was her centerpiece program,” Casilao said.

The victims were identified as Danilo Arjona, Leopoldo Alonzo, Adelfa Aribe, Dionisio Bautista, Roberto Caylao, Vicente Campomanes, Ronilo Dumunico, Dante Evangelio, Angelito Gutierrez, Rodrigo Grampan, Bernabe Laquindanum, Sonny Boy Perez and Roberto Yumul.

The Citizens’ Mendiola Commission, which was formed to investigate the incident, had recommended compensation for the dead and wounded. But the Supreme Court dismissed the petition for compensation in 1993.

“The inescapable conclusion is that the state cannot be held civilly liable for the deaths that followed the incident,” the court said.

No one has been arrested, jailed or convicted for the killings, according to Antonio Flores, secretary-general of  Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.  —TONETTE OREJAS