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Luisita workers firm despite massacre

HACIENDA LUISITA, Tarlac (Nov. 19) — Tear and smoke gas tore the air. Water cannons were aimed at the workers. Some of the picketers were shot dead on the spot. Some managed to crawl to safety. Minutes after, there was too much blood. Yet, the union banners, including the Anakpawis flag remained aloft.

This was the scene at the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) property on November 16, when HLI and Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) workers were violently dispersed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The Luisita massacre claimed fourteen lives. Hundreds were injured while many are still missing.

Of the 12,000 people defending the picket line that day in Gate 1, 116 workers were arrested, beaten and detained at Camp Aquino in Tarlac City. Some were brought to Camp Macabulos of the same city. A fact-finding mission commenced this weekend to confirm the status of these workers, including those missing.

Bloody Tuesday

At around 3 o’clock p.m. on November 16, joint forces of the Police Regional Office III (PRO III) and the AFP-Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOMM), marched to the picket line at Gate-1 – heavily armed and escorted by fire trucks, a military tank, and a bulldozer. Gate I was manned 12,000 members of the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU). On that day, the dispersal team emerged from the Hacienda, through a route at Cojuangco’s residential Las Haciendas Luisitas.

Members of the United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) manned Gate 2.

Minutes after the formation of the dispersal team, picketers were sprayed with water cannons, followed by canisters of tear gas. The workers formed a human chain about 50-70 meters and remained in their picket, throwing stones at the dispersal team, which tried to crash the gate.

Suddenly, the dispersal team fired at the workers, immediately killing some. The workers ran to barangays Balete and Texas to seek refuge. Motorcycles, bicycles, and other personal belongings were left at the picket were confiscated.

Before the firing, an ABS-CBN cameraman was hit by a stone in the face. He was immediately brought to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital for treatment. According to his statement, he was sure that the police are responsible for his injury. The workers believe that the incident was intentional. They (police) were making sure the shooting wouldn’t be recorded on tape, they said.

Jhaivie Basilio, a resident of Brgy. Mapalacsiao was one of those who were killed. According to witnesses, he tried to run to protect himself from the shooting. In panic, he tried to climb the fence of the Azucarera when an unidentified member of the police fired at him. His body was hanged in the interlink fence with barbwires, witnesses claim.

A toddler was killed due to suffocation from the tear gas. In anger, his father ran towards the dispersing team and was shot dead. They are among the sakadas who were hired by the Hacienda Luisita Inc. from the Visayas. As of presstime, the child’s age is still being confirmed.

In the result of the paraffin test, nine members of the dispersal group and three of the slain strikers were positive of gunpowder. The PNP claims that the picketers are armed and even shot at the military tank.

However, CATLU President Rene Galang disputed the PNP statement and said that none of the workers were armed. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) also issued a statement this week to the media, clarifying that members of the New People’s Army (NPA) instigated the shootout. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita insinuated that the NPA are responsible for the firing. CPP Spokesperson Greogorio “Ka Roger” Rosal dismissed such claims as “stupid and malicious”.

Assumption of jurisdiction

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas issued an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order on November 10 over the picket line in Hacienda Luisita’s Gate 1.

An assumption of jurisdiction legalizes violent dispersal by the members of the PNP and AFP of any picket line or strike. This has been the government’s retort for the growing number of strikes by workers nationwide.

Workers feel that due to the AJ, the government evaded their responsibility of upholding and protecting the rights and welfare of the working class.

Colonial beginnings

The original owners of Hacienda Luisita were royal grantees of the colonial Spain government. Don Jose Cojuanco, the late father of former president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, bought majority of the shares of the common stocks of CAT from the Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas (Tabacalera).

On August 27, 1957, the Central Bank Monetary Board (CBMB) approved the dollar account application of Jose Cojuanco to loan from Chase Manhattan in New York with 2 requisites, one of which is to distribute the hacienda to the small farmers in accordance to the program of the administration at that time.

Hacienda Luisita is composed of 6,453 hectares of productive and vast plantation of sugarcane. 4,040.80 hectares of the total land area is classified to be agricultural land. The hacienda is directly managed by Jose Cojuanco & Sons Co. (JCSO).

It is composed of 11 barangays and two subdivisions in two municipalities and one city. Barangays. Balete, Central, Mapalacsiao, Texas, Cut-cut, Asturias, and Bantog comprise Tarlac City. Barangays Parang, Pasajes, Pando in Concepcion and barangays Motrico in Lapaz.

The subdivisions are Don Pepe Homesite, where managerial and rank and file employees of Hacienda Luisita Inc. are housed, and the 100-hectare Las Haciendas Luisitas, where the Cojuangcos live.

From the original 7,200 hectares of sugar land plantation, only 3,200 hectares are left to date due to land use conversion. Bulatlat.com reports that parts of the Hacienda were converted into the Luisita Golf and Country Club (70 hectares) and the Luisita Industrial Park (Phase 1, 120 hectares; Phase 2, 500 hectares). The Central Techno Park covers 500 hectares.

Deceitful scheme

The Stock Distribution Option(SDO) is a provision of RA 6657, more commonly known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) signed during the Aquino administration.

Under this corporative scheme, farmers and farm workers of Hacienda Luisita are made “shareholders” of the company. In 1988, HLI distributed certificates of shares of stocks to6,000 sugar farm workers, technically making them co-owners of the hacienda.

The value of “shares” and income of the “shareholders” is dependent on their “man days” or working days. To be able to maintain being in the masterlist of shareholders, one must maintain 80 man days a year and pay regularly the union dues, which is 40% of their salary. For farm workers, one man day is equivalent to one ton of harvested sugarcane where they get P156.00 per ton. During the milling season, there are only 4 to 5 days per week of man days and 1-2 days per week for non-milling season left for the farm workers. This is the result of the continuous conversion of the plantation of Hacienda Luisita under SDO. After the full implementation, it is estimated that 1,674 hectares of the plantation will be left for 5,619 farm workers.

There will be less and less work opportunity for the people who will eventually loose their “stocks” with their very limited man days. Now, farm workers salary amounts to a scanty P9.50 a day.

Retrenchment

Of the 5,339 farm workers in the HLI, 2,500 are set be “de-listed”. The HLI management is pushing for an early retirement scheme and a “quit claim” by making workers sign a waiver.

According to a five-page document secured by Bulatlat.com, HLI has distributed a memorandum regarding the optional early retirement program. It was recommended that those who are willing to be terminated will receive benefits from the company.

The strike aims to call the attention of the HLI management to increase wages, stop land-use conversion, stop retrenchment and militarization in Hacienda Luisita. The picket line in Hacienda Luisita’s Gate 1 is very significant. It is a witness to the bloody dispersal of the workers. Workers are determined continue the strike until all their demands are given, and until justice is served to them. # JAC for NORDIS

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