SOME 1,500 farmers from Negros Occidental will join today’s nationwide commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the Mendiola massacre.
Michael de la Concepcion, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Negros, said members of National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) will troop to the headquarters of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City in the afternoon of Monday, January 22.
He said protesters will march from Lopue’s East to the provincial police headquarters around 1 p.m.
De la Concepcion said justice has yet to be served for what had happened three decades ago, when 13 people were killed during the bloody dispersal at the Mendiola Bridge in Manila.
He slammed the government for not doing anything in solving the case, stressing that no clear suspects were really identified.
They are calling the Duterte administration to launch an investigation, he said.
On January 22, 1987, state forces opened fire at thousands of farmers and peasants who called on the government for genuine land reform. They sought a dialogue with then president Corazon Aquino at the time.
However, the peaceful rally turned into tragedy following the violent dispersal by the government forces.
Until today, no one has been indicted for the deaths of the 13 victims.