Home | To bottom

Goons fire anew at Luisita picket; 2 workers hurt

TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (Jan. 7) — Two picketers were hurt when suspected private goons of the Conjuangcos struck anew on January 5 at the picket line at the west gate of Las Haciendas Subdivision, Hacienda Luisita here.

In a phone interview, United Luisita Labor Union (ULWU) President Rene Galang recounted that at around 10:40 p.m., a Nissan Patrol with the plate no. TLA 119 was speeding from the Las Haciendas past the checkpoint guarded by security guards and policemen.

The picket line is located some 10 meters away from the said checkpoint. Galang said even the assigned persons at the west gate were not familiar with the car that they tried to ask the driver to slow down.

While the car stopped, a baby armalite was seen aimed at the picket line. Four drunken men in civilian clothes came out from the car and argued with the picketers. The picketers asked who they are and tried to establish their purpose in coming, but some of the men went back to the car and pulled out firearms and shot at the picketers.

Two picketers were wounded, Ernesto Ramos, a relative of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) President Ricardo Ramos from Brgy. Mapalacsiao, and George Loveland from Brgy. Balete. According to them the suspects did not fire warning shots and the police just watched as the situation progressed. The incident was planned, they said.

The following day, militant groups staged a rally “to condemn the continuing harassment of the Cojuancos, PNP and AFP to the workers of Hacienda Luisita Incorporated and Central Azucarera de Tarlac and expose the delaying of the negotiations.”

Galang said that they did not join the said mass action because they have to man the 11 picket lines inside and outside the Hacienda.

Wounded victims of the Nov. 16 massacre are back in the picket lines after weeks of treatment. Ferdinand “Endey” Aquino is one of the protesters who was shot and tortured. He remains a witness to the massacre in Congress hearings.

Marcelino “Ka Marsing” Beltran, one of the witnesses in Congress, was murdered in his house. He was preparing for the hearing in Congress in the evening of December 8 when armed men in a vehicle stopped in front of his house and called out his name. Ka Marsing was asked if he was Marcelino Beltran, the armed men fired at him when he affirmed. Before he died, he was able to tell his son, “mga military ang bumaril sa akin”.

The wounded and the survivors of the Hacienda Luisita massacre continue with the strike up to this day.

“The fear is always in us. Even our families are worrying that the enemies might get us anytime”, Aquino said. “Kung magpapatali kami sa takot, walang mangyayari sa laban”, he added. # Joel A. Capulong for NORDIS

Home | Back to top