A Year After Hacienda Luisita Massacre, Justice Still Elusive

Published on November 13, 2005

During the investigation, Senior Supt. Arturo Quilop of the PNP-Camp Crame Crime Laboratory (PNP-CCCL) presented their initial findings. However, Quilop himself could not testify as to the accuracy of the findings because he was only sent by his officials to attend the hearings. Quilop said a separate technical group investigated the dispersal.

This prompted Enrile to remove Quilop as a resource person of the inquiry and asked that the members of the technical group that conducted the investigation to submit themselves to the Senate investigation instead.

Before the hearing adjourned, Estrada requested the PNP to submit to the committee the 433-page PNP report on the Hacienda Luisita incident.

But Tanpiengco, in an interview with Bulatlat, said it has not been submitted to this day. Because of this, the inquiry has not resumed and Senate has not completed its investigation.

Other avenues

The House of Representatives (HoR) also conducted its own investigation. In the preliminary report of the joint inquiry of the House Committees on Human Rights, Labor and Employment and Agrarian Reform, it concluded that human rights violations were committed against the striking workers of Hacienda Luista by the elements of the PNP, AFP and the DoLE.

It recommended the review and, if warranted, the repeal of provisions pertaining to the AJ in the Labor Code. This recommendation is based on the findings of the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) that “various violent dispersal of striking workers that resulted to hundreds of human rights violations are directly attributed to the AJ.”

The House committees also recommended the relief and filing of criminal and administrative charges against Supt. Angelo Sunglao, provincial director of PNP-Tarlac, and Supt. dela Torre as well as other officers and members of the military and police forces who violated constitutionally-guaranteed rights of workers.

The committees also recommended the filing of appropriate charges against Sto. Tomas.

However, Sunglao and dela Torre have been relieved from their posts even before the House committees’ recommendation. Sto. Tomas has retained her post.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) conducted its own investigation but has not come out with its results.
Case filed

On Jan. 13 this year, 52 of the victims’ survivors filed criminal and administrative charges against the HLI and CAT owners, PNP, AFP and DoLE officials.

The criminal charges filed include multiple murder for the death of Jhavie Basilio, 20; Juancho Sanchez, 20; Jessie Valdez, 30; Jaime Fastidio, 46; Jesus Laza, 34; June David, 28; and Adriano Caballero Jr., 23;

Multiple frustrated murder, multiple attempted murder, serious and less serious physical injuries were also filed for the wounding of at least 72 individuals, 27 of whom sustained gunshot wounds.

Those accused as responsible were also charged with theft and malicious mischief for stealing mobile phones, kitchenware and sacks of rice, among others.

A check at the office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City showed that it has ended its investigations and it is now up for review by the chief ombudsman. (Bulatlat.com)

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