Farmers still crying for justice 30 years after Mendiola Massacre

Published January 20, 2017 3:27pm

Farmers marched from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) office to the Times Street home of former president Benigno Aquino III to demand justice for the deaths of 13 farmers during the infamous 1987 Mendiola Massacre, a television report said Friday.

A report on "Balitanghali" by GMA News' Mark Zambrano said over 500 members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) picketed the home of Aquino for the supposed lack of action toward the deaths of their peers.

The incident occurred on January 22, 1987 during the term of Aquino's mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.

According to the report, the farmers were still seeking justice 30 years after the incident.

KMP also demanded the inclusion of a true agrarian reform in the third round of peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Rome.

They said the basic land, food, and social justice concerns of farmers must be included in the reconciled drafts of the NDFP and the government for the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).

After marching to Times Street, the farmers then proceeded to the University of Santo Tomas and Mendiola for their afternoo program.

KMP expects Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano to join their program. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/596465/news/nation/farmers-still-crying-for-justice-30-years-after-mendiola-massacre