Thousands commemorate Escalante Massacre, Martial Law
BACOLOD CITY -- Thousands of farmers, peasants and members of cause-oriented groups joined together in commemorating the 23rdyear of Escalante Massacre which killed 20 protesters who joined the Welgang Bayan in front of then Municipal Hall of Escalante on September 20, 1985 and 36thyear of the declaration of Martial Law by former President Ferdinand Marcos.
Protest actions were held in Bacolod and Escalante cities in Negros Occidental and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental, Sunday.
Northern Negros Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (NNAHRA) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) covered the streets with banners, placards and streamers as well as shouting justice for the human rights victims.
NNAHRA secretary general Bernardino Patigas said that until now, families of the Escalante Massacre victims are still seeking for justice for what happened 23 year ago.
BAYAN-Negros secretary-general Felipe Gelle said peasants and farmers groups in upland Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental also joined the protest actions to express their discontent with the militarization in their place.
On May 1 and June 25 rallies led by BAYAN in Guihulngan, protesters were flagged down and were allegedly threatened by soldiers of the 11th IBPA and 79th IBPA.
"We are preparing the filing of appropriate charges against the military for harassing the peasants and women leaders," Gelle said.