Japan Group Releases Report on Killings in Philippines

Prior to the Killing

At the time he was killed, Abelardo was the counselor of Tarlac City and a leader of the Bayan Muna Party Tarlac provincial chapter. He was first elected as a city counselor of Tarlac City in 2001, and re-elected in 2004 with the second biggest vote among the counselors. As Chair of the city council committee on human rights, labor and employment, he was able to pass several resolutions that assisted workers and the disadvantaged. He was appointed as an official delegate of the panel of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), observer status, in the peace negotiations between the GRP and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Oslo.

His farther told HRN “He was a popular city counselor because of his support for the people. He was a big supporter of the Hacienda workers.” He has been fighting for the right of the workers in Hacienda Luisita. In the morning of November 16, 2004, the day of massacre, Ladera visited Cojuanco to negotiate as a member of the workers’ delegation.

Circumstances of the Killing

At about 1 pm on March 3, 2005, Ladera was on his way home from the Tarlac City Hall when he stopped at an auto supply store along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Paraiso, Tarlac City to window-shop. As he stopped, unknown assailants shot him in the chest. The bullet pierced his heart. A teenaged boy, by-stander, saw an armed man inside a car located around 20 meters from the shop. He did not want to speak further for fear that he might be harmed for testifying about the crime that he witnessed. The victim’s driver, Edwin Arocena and a companion rushed him to the Central Luzon Doctors’ Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Harassment by the Military

His father believes that military elements and Cojuanco killed Ladera.

“In 16 November 2004, Ladera visited Cojuanco with leaders of the strike because he wanted to help in the negotiation. Cojuanco got to know about him. His name was in the “Order of Battle”.75 There was the Comics-style propaganda material spread by the military naming him as a member of the New People’s Army. It is not true, he was not an NPA at all.” .76

Other Cases of Killings

Although Human Rights Now has not interviewed any witnesses or relatives of the following victims during the fact-finding mission, we were informed about two other cases related to Hacienda Luisita.

・　In December 8, 2004, Marcelino Beltran, the chairman of the farm workers’ organization “Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Tarlac” and a key witness to the November 16th massacre

was gunned down in front of his home in the remote village of Barangay San Sotero by an unidentified assailant allegedly wearing an army uniform.

・　　In March 7, 2005, Attorney Romeo Capulong was assaulted by an assassin in his hometown in Nueva Ecija, Central Luzon. He escaped and saved his life. However, attempts to assassinate him continue. Mr. Capulong served as a judge of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and is one of the Philippines’ most prominent lawyers. He was representing the striking workers in Hacienda Luisita.77

* In March 13, 2005, Father William Tadena was killed in an ambush near his church in La Paz, Tarlac. He was a priest of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC) and a strong supporter of Hacienda Luisita workers.

3　Killing of religious leaders

Case 9: Isaias Sta. Rosa78

Background Information:

【Victim】Rev. Isaias Sta. Rosa (47 years old, male)

A member of the United Methodist Church of Malobago, Daraga, Albay, Bicol.

Sta. Rosa used to be a pastor of the United Methodist Church in Daraga.

He was also an active member of the peasant group Bicol Peasant Movement, an affiliate organization of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (the Philippine Peasant Movement).79

【Incident】Reverend Sta. Rosa was killed on August 3, 2006 around 7:30 in the evening 50 meters from his house in Malobago, Daraga town Albay Province.

【Perpetrator】Lordger Pastrana and other members of 9th Infantry Battalion of AFP was alleged perpetrators.