NEWS RELEASE
January 10, 2005, Thursday
For Immediate Release
Reference:   ULWU-CATLU Media Bureau
                        azucarrera@yahoo.com
RICARDO RAMOS,
President, Central Azucarrera De Tarlac Labor Union [CATLU]    
                   Contact #:  0921-796-1921

Death threats hound two Tarlac journalists

Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City –Two local correspondents active in the coverage of the Hacienda Luisita labor dispute and subsequent violent dispersals are now fearing for their safety after receiving death threats recently via their mobile phones.

Len Espinosa, correspondent of the Manila Times and Paul Gonzales, reporter for radio station DZME, received threatening text messages on January 8 and 9, respectively.

The text messages read “Papatayin kita” and were sent through the business card mobile phone function. Business card number forwarding enables the sender to conceal his identity since the sender’s phone number shall not be displayed

Espinosa and Gonzales also covered and witnessed the November 16 brutal dispersal and carnage of Hacienda Luisita workers and farm workers and their supporters.

“This is form of silencing the media to expose the truth. The labor dispute and murder cases in Hacienda Luisita are relatively crucial to socially important figures and high-ranking public officials, who partake in a systematic scheme to disband the picket,” Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union President Ricardo Ramos said. ###

****************************
NEWS RELEASE
January 10, 2005, Thursday
For Immediate Release
Reference:   ULWU-CATLU Media Bureau
                        azucarrera@yahoo.com
RICARDO RAMOS,
President, Central Azucarrera De Tarlac Labor Union [CATLU]    
                   Contact #:  0921-796-1921

Due to new DOLE order and latest spate of violence
2nd bloody dispersal looms in Hacienda Luisita

Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City –The latest order to be issued soon by Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas and the latest spate of violent incidents foreshadow a repeat of the November 16 bloody dispersal of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita.

Secretary Sto. Tomas is set to render a final decision on the Hacienda Luisita strike after the ten [10]-day period she gave to both parties to submit their final pleading has expired.

CATLU has chosen to ignore the order saying Sto. Tomas has lost moral authority to render judgement on the strike because of her responsibility on the November 16 massacre.

“We expect Sec. Tomas to issue an order declaring the strike illegal and provide the legal basis for another violent attack on the striking workers of Hacienda Luisita as what happened on November 16,” CATLU president Ricardo Ramos said.

“The Cojuangco family and the Arroyo government have abandoned the road to a peaceful settlement of the labor dispute and will once again resort to violence as proven by events since January 2.” Ramos said.

Since January 2, when Congressman Benigno Aquino III visited the west gate of Hacienda Luisita, at least three [3] violent incidents have occurred:

The January 3 mauling of Celestino Panuelo and Noel Mallari in Barangay Parang, Concepcion, both ULWU members, who along with AMBALA leader Ben Pampoza, were accosted by Parang barangay chairman Reynaldo Nemis. Pampoza’s motorbike was illegally confiscated and damaged during the incident.

The January 5 shooting of Jorge Loveland and Ernesto Ramos, also both union members, at the hacienda west gate, by armed men identified with Congressman Noynoy Aquino, on the same spot where the congressman told hacienda residents on January 2 that strike negotiations are doomed to fail.

The latest incident which occurred last Saturday involved the stabbing of a son of a CATLU worker by the group led by the son of Ronaldo Fino, a CATLU officer loyal to management who attempted but failed to wrest the union presidency from Ramos.  

Union leaders blame Congressman Aquino for orchestrating the latest eruption of violence at the Cojuangco-owned sugar plantation. On the night of January 2, he facilitated the entry of at least five [5] private vehicles bearing armed men. Among those who entered the hacienda that night is former Col. Danilo Paras, security officer of the hacienda.

“It is clear that Noynoy Aquino is sabotaging all venues for a peaceful settlement of the dispute, as well as the legitimate _expression of the democratic rights of the people of Hacienda Luisita,” Ramos said. ###