BACOLOD CITY – “Let us not have social dementia. Let us not commit the mistakes of the past over and over again.”
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza delivered this message during homily at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Escalante City on Tuesday to commemorate the massacre of 20 protesters in Escalante, Negros Occidental province, in 1985.
Alminaza asked the faithful not to forget the Escalante Massacre.
On Sept. 20, 1985, hundreds of sugar workers, farmers, fishermen, students, urban poor group members, professionals and Church people gathered in Escalante City on the eve of the 13th anniversary of martial law.
At least 50 combat ready militiamen, soldiers and unidentified armed men circled the protesters.
The protesters were hosed down and teargas was used to disperse them. Gunfire drowned out the sound of chaos as militiamen opened fire at the crowd, killing 20 persons and wounding scores of others.
More than 30 years later, victims and their relatives have yet to be indemnified and are still waiting for justice, said Alejandro Deoma, Bayan Muna secretary general in Negros. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas