THE recent killings of 14 farmers in Negros Oriental yet again add up to the grand tale of oppression and harrasment by government against farmers and peasants.

The Philippine National Police claims that those who were killed were members of the New People’s Army and that they were hitmen armed with guns. The operation, they say, was legitimate. That they were able to arrest 12 and those who died tried to resist arrest by shooting at the operatives.

This is a preposterous tale. Among those killed were legitimate leaders of farmers’ organizations.

These were farmers whose only concern was tilling the land and asking for some support from government.

Yet these acts of brazen violence demonstrates once again the growing impunity among the powerful in this country. (By Timoteo Hernandez, TFDP)