Farmer-leader’s arrest clouds Luisita massacre memorial

The area fronting the gate of Central Azucarera de Tarlac in Tarlac City has again become a venue for protests as activists commemorate the deaths of seven farmers during the 2004 strike at Hacienda Luisita. —MARIA ADELAIDA CALAYAG

TARLAC CITY—Around 200 activists on Thursday staged a rally at the gate of Central Azucarera de Tarlac here to commemorate the so-called “Hacienda Luisita massacre” where seven farmers were killed in 2004 when soldiers and policemen retook a gate of the former sugar estate during a strike.

They also demanded justice for the deaths of farmers Jaime Pastidio, Jhaivie Basilio, Adriano Caballero, Jessie Valdez, Jesus Laza, June David and Juancho Sanchez.

Former President Benigno Aquino III, who was serving as Tarlac representative in 2004, was among those charged with the deaths but he was eventually cleared by the Office of the Ombudsman.

But the protest action on Thursday was clouded by the arrest on Wednesday of Florita Sibayan, chair of the militant Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala).

The Tarlac police detained Sibayan after farmers stormed a contested property inside Hacienda Luisita as a prelude to the memorial rally on Thursday.

Supt. Bayani Razalan, Tarlac City police chief, said Sibayan and other Ambala members were facing charges of malicious mischief and physical injuries for destroying the concrete fence of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) compound in the Tarlac City side of Luisita.

Sibayan was granted bail of P14,000.

On April 24, Ambala members forcibly occupied the RCBC compound, after they petitioned then Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano to convert the 500-hectare property for agrarian land distribution.

The RCBC lot is what remains of the sugar estate, most of which have been distributed to farmers by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The lot was acquired from the Cojuangco family in 1996.

Ambala called Wednesday’s destruction of the RCBC fence “the people’s eviction notice.” The protesters failed to enter the compound, however, when policemen blocked them. Two police officers were allegedly hurt in a skirmish there.

RCBC has not issued a statement regarding the latest attempt to occupy its property. The DAR did not also issue a statement when reached by the Inquirer, although an official said the agency had sent a team to monitor the rally at the RCBC lot. —MARIA ADELAIDA CALAYAG AND TONETTE OREJAS