“Instead of providing for the drought-stricken farmers or holding government authorities accountable for ordering police to carry guns and fire at the protesters, BS Aquino, as expected, took the escape route by absolving the police of ANY responsibility. Instead, he blamed the farmers’ movement for the Kidapawan carnage on April 1,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said, referring to the belated statement of BS Aquino on the Kidapawan bloody dispersal.
“Instead of providing for the drought-stricken farmers or holding government authorities accountable for ordering police to carry guns and fire at the protesters, BS Aquino, as expected, took the escape route by absolving the police of ANY responsibility. Instead, he blamed the farmers’ movement for the Kidapawan carnage on April 1,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said, referring to the belated statement of BS Aquino on the Kidapawan bloody dispersal.
“The issue, Mr. President, is that the farmers are hungry because your government did not provide them food aid in this time of calamity. The issue, Mr. President, is that the farmers were fired at for simply demanding rice,” Palabay said.
"Aquino’s statements divert the issue from his government’s accountability,” Palabay said. “Clearly, BS Aquino’s response further proves Malacañang’s hand on the violent dispersal. It has the same chorus line with that of the Kidapawan police, the Philippine Army, his Cabinet minions and of North Cotabato governor Lala Mendoza,” Palabay said.
“The regime has again resorted to the use of professional witnesses to discredit the personality of Darwin Sulang to justify his killing,” Palabay said referring to Charlie Pasco, a rebel returnee who claims that Sulang was a member of New People’s Army. Pasco further claimed that Sulang had a .38 caliber during the protest. Pasco cannot provide any proof of his claims. At the time of the protest, Pasco was seen in Digos City receiving a cash reward from the government for his “surrender.”
“The farmers affected by drought, who have long been victims of feudal and semi-feudal exploitation, have no other choice but to organize and to demand for government subsidy and aid,” Palabay said. “If the government refuses to heed the calls of the hungry farmers and their families, and kills the farmers instead, the BS Aquino regime cannot fault the farmers who may opt to side with groups that give provide them an alternative to this poverty-stricken and violent society,” Palabay said.
“For now, the ‘Daang Matuwid’ candidates cannot expect any support from the farmers and farmers’ rights advocates. The Filipino people, especially the farmers, are already sick and tired of this blood-soaked yellow road,” Palabay concluded.