Hacienda Luisita mission: Solon’s daughter, others charged

REP. FERNANDO Hicap (center) at the Tarlac police station where he and other members of a fact-finding mission in Hacienda Luisita were held.       PHOTO FROM KMP

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap and Australian nun Patricia Fox have been freed without charges after their group was detained by police on Tuesday during a fact-finding mission on the implementation of the agrarian reform program in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac province.

But Hicap said the nine people who tried to prevent the police from arresting him were charged with malicious mischief in the office of the Tarlac City prosecutor on Wednesday. The charges were filed by Tarlac Development Corp. (Tadeco), a firm owned by the family of President Aquino.

Supt. Bayani Razalan, Tarlac City police chief, also filed a robbery complaint against them because his mobile phone was allegedly stolen while the police were arresting the group.

Charged were Hicap’s daughter Carly Mae; his driver, Rene Blasan; Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas spokesperson Danilo Ramos; former political prisoners Ericson Acosta and Kerima Tariman; Karapatan volunteer Ronald Gustillo; and Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) leaders Luz Versola, Florida Sibayan and Angelina Nunag.

Former Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano referred to them as the “Hacienda Luisita 11.”

Senior Supt. Alfred Corpus, provincial police director, said it was not Hicap’s privilege of parliamentary immunity from arrest that got him off the hook.

Hicap and Fox, he said, did not join their companions when they destroyed three guard posts in Barangay Balete, prompting police to hold them. Balete is one of the 10 villages inside Hacienda Luisita.

“There is a reason for Tadeco to file a complaint,” Corpus said, citing what he saw in photographs.

The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Tadeco through lawyer Antonio Ligon, spokesperson of Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI).

Tadeco owns 70 percent of HLI, the company organized by HLI and farm workers to manage the stocks distribution program in Hacienda Luisita.

Hicap insisted he was the target of the arrest. “I was taken like a criminal by 30 to 40 policemen,” he said.

Hicap and Fox, who were taken to the provincial police headquarters in Camp Makabulos in Tarlac City, said Corpus informed them that they could leave at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

“We said we were not leaving and that we would stick with our colleagues no matter what happens,” Fox told the Inquirer.

Hicap said the police took the nine members of the fact-finding mission to the city prosecutor’s office for inquest at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday but they had to wait for the Anakpawis lawyer to arrive before they could proceed.

The nine people were also examined at Tarlac Provincial Hospital.

At 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Hicap said he had not seen or been given a copy of the complaints against his nine companions.