Japan Group Releases Report on Killings in Philippines

Circumstances of the Killing

Sanchez was passing out water to the strikers when he was shot. He sustained a gunshot wound to his pelvis which penetrated his stomach and caused his death. He was the second person to be hit by gunfire and died.

Other victims

The other victims of the massacre include Jhaivie Basilio, Adriano Caballero, Jung David, Jaime Pastidio, and Jessie Valdez. Seven additional victims, allegedly children, remain unnamed.

Investigation and Prosecution

Edgardo B. Aglipay, the Philippine National Police Chief, Director General along with Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Rep. Noynoy Aquino, Peping Cojuangco, Chief Superintendent Quirino de la Torre, General Romeo Dominguez of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Northern Luzon Command, and Colonel Ricardo Visaya of the Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion have been charged before the Ombudsman with multiple Killing, grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct.67 However, the case was dismissed.

After the killing, the military published a report named “Trinity of War” which alleged that the NPA was instigating the Hacienda Luisita strike, and the massacre was committed by the NPA instead of the AFP.68

Finding

The AFP insisted that the NPA was responsible for the massacre. However, the HRN fact-finding team saw lots of witnesses of the massacre, including ordinary villagers, and none of them said that the massacre was perpetrated by the NPA. The HRN fact-finding team watched several video recordings of the strike and the massacre, and saw the situation that the strikers were confronted with AFP and PNP troops right before the massacre, and the gunshots came from the direction of the AFP and the PNP. There is no evidence to prove the AFP’s allegation. Under such circumstances, it is the responsibility for the government to conduct thorough investigation of the case.

3. Killing after the Massacre

Case 6: Ricardo Ramos69

Background Information:

【Victim】Richardo Ramos (47 years old, male)

Barangay Chairman of Barangay Mapalacsiao, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac

President of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU)

【Incident】Ramos was shot and killed on October 25, 2005 in a hut near his house in

Barangay Mapalacsiao, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac, during the assembly celebrating the successful Hacienda Luisita strike.70

【Perpetrators】Sergeant Joshua Dela Cruz and Romeo Castillo of the 48th Infantry Battalion under the7th Infantry Division were identified as perpetrators by witnesses.

Prior to the Killing

In 1997, Mr. Ramos was elected as the chairperson of the Barangay Mapalacsiao and since then, he has served as the chairperson until the time of his death. Prior to his death, he received an award as “the most outstanding village head in the whole Philippines”. He was also the president of one of the two labor unions that participated in the Hacienda Luisita labor strike. On November 6, 2004, farm workers belonging to CATLU and United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) staged a strike against management of the 5,000-hectare hacienda in Tarlac owned by the family of former President Corazon Aquino.71 After the “Hacienda Luisita Massacre”, while a number of supporters of the strike were killed, the unions and management continued to negotiate over back payment and future wages and benefits. Ramos was the one who led the strike. As a result of the struggle of workers and consistent negotiation led by Ramos, the workers received the back-wage and benefit from the management on October 24, 2005. Ramos was one who received the money, P 8,800,000.00 on behalf of the workers and distributed them to the workers.